


You're My Chosen (Poison)

by thatnerdemryn



Series: Caught Under His Spell [2]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Awkward Flirting, Canon-Typical Violence, Crushes, First Meetings, Getting to Know Each Other, Lorenzo Rey Deserved His Redemption Arc, M/M, Mutual Pining, Post-Canon, Slow Burn, Strangers to Lovers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-20
Updated: 2020-07-13
Packaged: 2021-03-04 00:33:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 21,101
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24824629
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thatnerdemryn/pseuds/thatnerdemryn
Summary: “You and I were supposed to be the only shadowhunter/warlock power couple,” Alec said as a pout formed on his lips. Magnus laughed, a loud noise that gained the attention of many wandering shadowhunters. He leaned up and placed a quick peck on Alec’s pout before he glanced down the residence hallway.“I think it’s time we make room for another one, Alexander.”(Or, what happens after a shadowhunter compliments a warlock.)
Relationships: Lorenzo Rey/Andrew Underhill, Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood
Series: Caught Under His Spell [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1366630
Comments: 68
Kudos: 137





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I've had this fic in the works for almost a year now and it is _finally_ finished. This is my rendition of what happens with my second favorite shadowhunter and warlock after they meet at the wedding. I truly hope you enjoy it and my goal is for everyone to fall in love with the Lorenzo I've created. 
> 
> Enjoy!
> 
> This fic will be posting on Sunday's and Thursday's until it's finished 👌🏼

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The title of this fic comes from [Poison by Freya Ridings](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjTEJiZ1BCw).

The first time Magnus had noticed any sort of tension from his two friends was the night of his wedding. After most downworlders had left the Institute and most shadowhunters had gone to bed, he caught a glimpse of Lorenzo and Andrew sitting in a dark corner in the back of the room. As Magnus held Alec in his arms, he tilted his head towards the two, hoping Alec would catch onto his movement. Of course, Alec knew exactly what he was doing and turned them to the slow beat of the music before his eyes widened almost comically. Magnus twirled them again, his eyes crinkling in the corners as a larger smile graced his lips. 

“Since I’ve officially snagged you, Underhill has apparently decided to move on to the next best thing,” Magnus decided, squeezing Alec just a little tighter around his waist. Alec scoffed, pressing his lips to Magnus’ ear. 

“You’ve had me since the moment we met, Magnus. Underhill didn’t stand a chance,” he replied, chasing the comment with a soft kiss to his husband’s cheek. “But is the next best thing really Lorenzo? I mean, what could those two possibly have in common?” He glanced back over Magnus’ shoulder just in time to see Lorenzo leaning his head back in laughter and Underhill moving his hands along with whatever funny story he was telling. 

“Don’t you think that’s what people had to say about us? Me, the extravagant, colorful downworlder and you, the strict, rule-following shadowhunter.” Magnus huffed, bringing the hand holding Alec’s waist up to his cheek. “Look how that turned out,” he said softly, letting his finger stroke the top of Alec’s cheek in a gentle caress. Alec’s eyes closed as he leaned into the touch. 

There were very few couples still on the dance floor and those that were left were all considered family. “They’re quite the pair,” Magnus said softly, resting his head on his husband’s shoulder and holding him even tighter. He could practically hear Alec rolling his eyes as he shook his head, opting to ignore Magnus’ observation. 

Lorenzo had his head tilted back in laughter again, Andrew leaning forward with a grin plastered on his lips. Magnus watched them, thinking back to all the times others must have witnessed the side glances and obvious pining between him and his husband. He watched for another moment or two, catching the small touches of knees and shoulders, the soft smiles, and extended eye contact. 

Magnus sighed into Alec’s shoulder and decided now was the time to scoot out without anyone noticing. He pressed a soft kiss to Alec’s lips, tugging his hand to make their way to the side door nearest the dorms. He shot one more glance back and caught Lorenzo’s eyes, a knowing smirk finding its way to his lips. A look of worry crossed Lorenzo’s face as he stood up quickly. Magnus could see the two chatting before they started toward the front door. Alec, seemingly noticing the two leaving together, pressed a kiss to Magnus’ cheek before ushering him to their room for the night. Magnus waved sleepily as he wandered through the door.

* * *

As Alec ushered his sleepy husband into bed, he glanced at the door to their room and cleared his throat to get Magnus’ attention.

“I’m going to check and make sure Underhill is all set to provide security tonight. I’ll be right back, okay?” Magnus grunted in response, pursing his lips for a kiss that Alec happily provided to him. He backed away from Magnus, an always present smile on his lips before quietly making his way down the corridor. 

When he reached the front door, he paused. Andrew and Lorenzo were standing in front of the stairs, their bodies angled towards each other in an intimate way that Alec couldn’t really explain. He thought he was seeing things as Lorenzo leaned closer, unsure if it was intentional or not. Alec couldn’t help but wince as Andrew’s hand shot out and Lorenzo’s head tilted in confusion. 

“It was really nice to meet you, Lorenzo,” Alec heard Andrew say, a professional tone in his voice that did not match his body language a few moments prior. Alec noticed the look of rejection on Lorenzo’s face as he turned his head to create a portal. Alec had seen Magnus create many portals in his life, none of which had the sparks of magic flying away from his hands as bitterly as they did then. Lorenzo nodded slowly, turning back to Andrew one final time.

“And you, Andrew. Thank you for keeping me company tonight.” Alec heard the dejected tone in Lorenzo’s voice and shook his head before watching Lorenzo disappear into the portal. He watched on as Andrew kicked a rock harshly, cursing softly under his breath. When he looked up the stairs and saw Alec, his eyes widened and Alec couldn’t wipe the judgment off his face.

“Alec, hi. What are you doing out here? Shouldn’t you be, uh, with your husband?” Andrew asked, making his way up the stairs and placing himself in front of his boss. Alec took in his form. He was still in his suit but there was an heir of professionalism radiating off him as his feet spread apart and his hands found their way behind his back. Alec thought he looked like a well-trained soldier at that moment, which he guessed was basically true.

“At ease, Underhill,” Alec said softly, a laugh leaving his lips as Andrew rolled his eyes. “You just attended my wedding which was practically a party. You can relax.” Andrew nodded, his shoulders slumping as he followed Alec back into the ops center.

“It was a beautiful ceremony. It… was important, Alec. I know you know that and we’ve had a similar conversation before, but you and Magnus are changing things. Especially for a shadowhunter like me who assumed I’d have no future like-- that.” Andrew said softly, gesturing towards the reception area. Alec noticed his eyes drifting towards the door and had a feeling he was thinking about Lorenzo.

“Thank you, Underhill,” Alec said genuinely. He sighed gently and leaned against the table in the middle of the ops center. “So, Lorenzo…?” Alec started lamely, unsure of how to bring whatever he had seen up. Andrew let out a laugh and a small blush covered his cheeks. He sat down in one of the chairs, spinning the hologram of the Institute with his index finger.

“He’s really… something,” Andrew started, looking down at the table as if the maps covering it were much more interesting than the conversation. Alec tilted his head and raised his eyebrows, urging Andrew to continue. Andrew sighed and shook his head. “You know he was friends with John Singer Sargent?” Alec couldn’t stop the laughter that erupted from his lips.

“The first thing you’ll learn about warlocks is that they are big, fat, liars,” Alec said, earning similar laughter from Andrew’s lips. Alec saw him lean back in his chair and relax as they spoke about warlocks. He decided that whatever he had just witnessed was nothing more than miscommunication and he wouldn’t be meddling in things that were not his business. 

* * *

A few nights later, Magnus and Alec were back at the Institute after a few much-needed days off for their lame attempt at a honeymoon. With Jace and Izzy out of commission to deal with the Clary situation, Alec was attempting to group up the remaining shadowhunters to spread out in search of the rogue werewolf that wandered into the city a few days prior.

“Underhill will remain at ops. Tracking runes should stay activated throughout each mission so he can stay updated on your locations. If you come in contact with the wolf, you tag and flee. That is the mission, are we clear?” Magnus loved hearing Alec’s Head of the Institute voice. It was filled with authority and importance and Magnus couldn’t help but find it incredibly sexy. The shadowhunters nodded their assent and made their way out the front doors. Before the door could shut, Lorenzo waltzed in and waved at Magnus.

“What is he doing here?” Magnus heard Andrew mutter not subtly to Alec. Magnus was too focused on Lorenzo’s jacket to think much of it.

“I see you got the memo,” Magnus started. When Lorenzo tilted his head in confusion, Magnus laughed and gestured to his jacket. “High Warlock’s have to be the most fashionable person in a room.” When Lorenzo laughed, Magnus held his hand out and shook Lorenzo’s in a tight grip. If you had told him a few years ago that he’d be joking with Lorenzo Rey, he probably would have laughed in your face and downed a shot of tequila at the thought.

In Magnus’ eyes, though, Lorenzo had fully redeemed himself. He would be stuck in Edom, alone and without his husband if it wasn’t for Lorenzo’s help. They would have all died in Edom if it wasn’t for Lorenzo’s heroism. He wouldn’t have been able to marry Alec without Lorenzo. Truthfully, Magnus felt like he owed Lorenzo. After a few too many Old Fashioned’s and Martini’s one night, they had both forgiven each other for whatever unspoken wrongdoings that haunted their pasts. It was like their rivalry never happened. Which was why when Lorenzo offered Magnus his position of High Warlock back to him, he declined. He had never seen Lorenzo look so shocked. From that day on, they were… friends. And Magnus was perfectly okay with it.

“Well, I obviously couldn’t be shown up by my predecessor, now could I?” Lorenzo joked, finally glancing over Magnus’ shoulder. He cleared his throat and fixed his jacket when he caught sight of the shadowhunters. “Alec, Andr—Underhill. How nice to see you both again,” Lorenzo said, his voice full of professionalism. Alec smiled and moved forward, his hand out to shake Lorenzo’s. Magnus chuckled at the surprised look on Lorenzo’s face. Magnus knew Lorenzo wasn’t quite sure what to think of the man that Magnus agreed to marry.

The two had known each other for a long time, which used to be an unfortunate circumstance. But Magnus knew there was no part of Lorenzo that thought Magnus would end up married to a shadowhunter. Even less expected was him marrying a Lightwood. This was the warlock who spent a majority of the 80’s butting heads with the Inquisitor and Maryse Lightwood like it was his job. At that time, it  _ was _ the majority of his job as High Warlock. Watching Lorenzo shake the hand of the eldest Lightwood was a treat for Magnus. Watching Lorenzo hold his hand out for Underhill was even better. 

“I look forward to working closely with you, Underhill,” Lorenzo said. His eyes widened when Magnus cleared his throat, a lame attempt at stifling his laughter. Obviously, Lorenzo wasn’t aware of the implications of his words. Magnus would be sure to tease him about that later. “With the security of the Institute, of course!” Lorenzo added, tugging his hand away from Andrew’s a little too quickly.  _ Interesting _ , Magnus thought. 

He shot a glance at his husband who seemed to know something he didn’t. Magnus thought that maybe he was looking too far into things as Alec led Lorenzo to the front steps of the Institute to start reconfiguration of the wards. Magnus sauntered over to Andrew, who was staring a little too hard at the computer screen if Magnus had anything to say about it.

“So,  _ Andrew _ …” Magnus started as Andrew glanced over at him, his cheeks turning pink at the unusual use of his name. That was also interesting. “Lorenzo seems like he’ll be a good fit for High Warlock, don’t you think?” Andrew gulped, turning to Magnus and crossing his arms over his chest.

“Well, I don’t know if anyone would be a better fit than you, husband to the Head of the Institute. Unless Alec has an affinity towards High Warlocks, then I guess you should watch your back,” Andrew said slowly, a teasing tone in his voice that Magnus was getting used to hearing. Magnus looked over at Alec to see him staring back and sent him an over exaggerated wink. Alec shook his head and looked back toward Lorenzo as Magnus did the same. Andrew huffed out a laugh before turning back to the computer.

“I think I’m safe. Lorenzo on the other hand seems to have a liking toward shadowhunters that took me a while to gain,” Magnus trailed off, waiting to see Andrew’s reaction. A small blush crept up his cheeks that Magnus only saw because he was looking for it. He prodded a bit further, propping his hip on the table. “There’s a particular shadowhunter I’ve been asked about quite a few times,” Magnus continued casually. That sentence had Andrew turning back toward him more abruptly than he probably intended. Magnus caught the laughter in his throat, tilted his head and cocked his eyebrow at Andrew.

“I, uh, it was probably Helen or Aline, right? I know he’s been working more closely with them about the Heavenly Fire to try and get the warlocks their powers back?” Andrew cleared his throat, turning to move back to his computer. Magnus placed a gentle hand on his arm that caused Andrew to glance sideways at him.

“He’s very interested in the security of the Institute, Andrew. He’s also very willing to help the shadowhunters out with whatever they need as long as they promise to do the same.” Andrew nodded his head, sending a soft, understanding smile in Magnus’ direction. Magnus nodded back before he made his way over to Alec and Lorenzo. Alec pressed a kiss to his temple as Magnus curled himself into his husband’s side. They had been a lot touchier since their wedding, but no one seemed to mind. Actually, Lorenzo looked pretty fondly on the two and Magnus felt his heart warm at that.

“Underhill, come here for a minute!” Alec shouted. Andrew jumped to attention, a side effect of hearing the Head of the Institute’s voice, and closed down whatever he was doing before he made his way over to the three of them.

“What do you need?” Andrew asked, blatantly ignoring Lorenzo’s eyes. Magnus thought he could be looking too much into it, but Andrew was staring at Alec a little too hard.

“I am going to take Lorenzo around the Institute and show him—” Magnus placed his hand on Alec’s arm, shaking his head.

“Actually, my dear, I was hoping you could introduce me to the new shadowhunters who just transferred from LA. I’m hoping to get them started with warlock training sooner rather than later,” Magnus said, a gleam in his eyes. He was sure that Alec could see the plan forming in his head. If he did, he chose to go along with it.

“I forgot about that. Andrew, would you mind taking Lorenzo to the residential halls? That area needs their wards updated more urgently than others,” Alec specified, motioning in that direction. Magnus kept a close eye on the other two men as Alec made the order. Lorenzo seemed to be a bit too still like he was in an internal argument as to how to react appropriately. Andrew’s mouth opened and then closed, not so dissimilar to a fish out of water, like he was struggling with a way to say no to his boss.

“That sounds perfect, Alexander. We’ll see you boys in an hour?” Magnus said quickly and pulled Alec along with him out of the room. As they turned the corner, Alec let out a heavy breath before he tugged Magnus to a stop.

“Are you going to explain what that was? The new shadowhunters have never met a warlock, let alone are ready to face one in battle and you know that,” Alec accused. Magnus didn’t meet his eyes as he attempted to peek around the corner to see Lorenzo and Andrew walking as far away from each other as they could as they entered the residential hallway.

“Alexander, please tell me you’re not that daft,” Magnus pleaded. Alec raised his eyebrows and crossed his arms over his chest, an annoyed look plastered on his face. Magnus sighed and let his hand rest along Alec’s cheek. “How you realized I was in love with you so quickly, I will never know,” Magnus said softly before continuing. “Lorenzo and Andrew have an attraction toward each other.” Alec immediately rolled his eyes and started to walk back toward the ops center. Magnus followed closely and placed a hand on Alec’s arm to stop him from going after the other men.

“I don’t know what this ‘attraction’ entails, but I’m not meddling and neither are you,” Alec said firmly. His eyes stayed on Magnus’, a certain fire in them that Magnus both loved and hated to see.

“Are you ordering me as your husband or as the Head of the Institute, Alec?” Magnus challenged as he cocked his head. Alec squinted his eyes like he was trying to read Magnus’ expression. A sigh left his lips once more as he, smartly, decided to give up.

“I’m not ordering you. I don’t like it, Magnus,” Alec said as he pulled Magnus closer by his waist. “I am going to tell you something but you have to promise not to be angry with me when I do,” Alec started. Magnus raised his eyebrows and tilted his head to prompt Alec to continue. “After our wedding, I may have witnessed an almost kiss by Underhill and Lorenzo?” The words came out as a question and Magnus couldn’t help but slap his hand across Alec’s chest.

“They almost  _ kissed _ and you didn’t tell me? This is Isabelle and Simon all over again,” Magnus accused. Alec scoffed and rolled his eyes which earned him a pointed look from his husband.

“You can’t keep bringing that up, Magnus! I’m sorry that when I saw you in Edom, my first thought wasn’t ‘oh, I need to tell my fiancé about how my sister almost died from her smooch fest with the vampire’. I was a little busy trying to figure out whether I was going to be uprooting my life on Earth to be with you in Edom,” Alec responded, annoyance dripping from his tone. Magnus just scoffed right back as he crossed his arms over his chest.

“You can’t keep bringing up your willingness to sacrifice yourself for me. I didn’t ask for that!” Magnus argued back. Alec sighed and his shoulders slumped as he placed his hands on Magnus’ arms. Magnus immediately relaxed at the touch and glanced up at Alec.

“You and I were supposed to be the only shadowhunter/warlock power couple,” Alec said as a pout formed on his lips. Magnus laughed, a loud noise that gained the attention of many wandering shadowhunters. He leaned up and placed a quick peck on Alec’s pout before he glanced down the residence hallway.

“I think it’s time we make room for another one, Alexander.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please let me know what you think and scream at me on [Tumblr](https://archeryandeyeliner.tumblr.com/) or [Twitter](https://twitter.com/thatnerdemilyj).
> 
> Please feel free to leave kudos if you like it and comment anything you please. I promise I will smile and reply.
> 
> If your looking to be more involved in the fandom and don't know where to start, come join a super fun [Discord](https://discord.gg/8Q8yBVg)! 
> 
> See you soon!


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In which these two are actual idiots. 
> 
> Thank you, Cor, for being a wonderful beta, as always <3

Andrew trailed his fingertips along the edge of the walls in the residential hall. Lorenzo was on the other side of him, seemingly letting his magic do the same to check the wards. Andrew took the moment to drink him in. Lorenzo’s jacket that Magnus had been so fond of cinched in at the waist, accentuating his hips in a way that made Andrew’s mouth suddenly dry. The first time Andrew had seen Lorenzo he had been the most attractive person in the room. Now was definitely no different. Lorenzo glanced up at him so Andrew looked away quickly, clearing his throat as they reached the end of the hallway.

“So, this is where Magnus usually starts…” Andrew said softly. His voice trailed off as Lorenzo’s hands sparked yellow and intricate shapes formed in front of him. Andrew had seen magic at work. He had been there many times when Magnus had saved their asses during missions and when Cat had healed the injured without a second thought. Their magic had been blue, if he was recalling correctly, and Magnus’ sparked red when he was angry. Andrew had been fascinated with it immediately. But seeing Lorenzo’s magic now, he had to catch his breath. His lungs felt like they were filling with water as the arousal shot through him. He shouldn’t find the use of magic as attractive as he did.

Andrew grew up believing everything his mentors told him about downworlders. Downworlders were bad; they may do good things, but their blood made them bad. Tainted, even. Then Andrew met a werewolf when he was just a preteen. He had snuck out to follow some older kids on a mission and was face to face with the most horrifying looking demon he had ever seen outside of a book. The werewolf jumped out of the night, slashed the demon’s neck open and disappeared without another thought. He had dreamed of those neon green eyes for years and never seemed to be able to get them out of his head.

As he watched Lorenzo’s magic swirl in front of him, he knew he would never be able to shake that image either. 

“The wards are fine. I have adjusted them so that downworlders with good intent can enter, like Alec had asked. Is that okay with you?” Lorenzo asked slowly like he was testing Andrew. Andrew nodded and placed his hand over the wall where Lorenzo’s magic had been. He could feel it pulsing under his fingertips as a shiver flowed languidly down his spine. 

“That’s more than okay. It would be nice to not have an alarm go off anytime a downworlder needed our assistance,” Andrew joked. Lorenzo smiled softly and Andrew took that as a win. “So, how have you been? Since the wedding?” Andrew asked. They had the most wonderful night and Andrew remembered it very clearly. They swapped stories, laughed together, and touched each other in a subtle way that Andrew was not used to. So, naturally, he panicked. Pulling away from Lorenzo when he really did not want to.

“I have been busy. High Warlock duties and all. I truly expected Magnus to take this position back, so I wasn’t prepared for the past few weeks,” Lorenzo replied. They started walking along the hallway, stopping every few feet for Lorenzo to make small adjustments to the wards.

“I wanted to say… It was really admirable that you offered Magnus his position back. I-- I wasn’t expecting it,” Andrew said as his fingers fidgeted. Lorenzo turned to look at him and Andrew saw something in his eyes that he couldn’t quite place.

“I’m not as bad as Alec makes me sound, Andrew,” Lorenzo said softly, his voice sounding more vulnerable than Andrew had liked. Andrew shook his head as he took a small, courageous step forward.

“Alec doesn’t think you’re bad!” Andrew said quickly. “He-- There’s a new level of respect between you both. It makes me happy,” he continued as his eyes searched Lorenzo’s.

“Why would that make you happy?” Lorenzo asked, his voice almost a whisper.

“I like that you two could be able to get along. I like y--,” Andrew’s words were interrupted at the arrival of the shadowhunters who had left when Lorenzo arrived.

“Underhill, we’ve got some security issues we need to go over with you,” one said as he sheathed his blade. Andrew nodded before he turned toward Lorenzo.

“Go do your job, shadowhunter,” Lorenzo said before he sauntered over to Magnus and Alec. Andrew shook his head, a small smile on his lips. He was in trouble, that was for sure.

* * *

The following day seemed to bring out a multitude of demons that the Institute was unprepared for. Magnus and Alec were in and out on missions and were coming up on 24 hours of continuous battle. Magnus’ magic was draining fast and there was only so much shadowhunter strength he could steal before the whole team was weak. Alec made the call at midnight. A majority of the threats had been eradicated and new activity was decreasing by the minute.

“Underhill, our teams are wiped. I need you to take Izzy, Simon, and Lorenzo out to clean up,” Alec ordered, his voice firm. If he hadn’t sounded so tired, Andrew might have argued. He hated going out with Izzy and Simon. They flirted relentlessly and then made fun of Andrew for being ‘repressed’ when he complained about it. He wasn’t repressed. Yeah, it had been a long while since he had an interest in anyone. The last man he thought he was interested in was now married to the most powerful warlock he had ever met and he couldn’t be happier for them. But he was  _ not _ repressed.

“Got it, boss. Izzy, will you reach out to Lorenzo?” Andrew started. Alec held up a hand, a contemplative look on his face.

“I need Izzy for something first. Lorenzo lives a few blocks down from here. Andrew, I think you should go get him. He’s not too familiar with Simon,” Alec said. If Andrew had known any better, he would’ve thought more of the smirk on Alec’s face. Instead, he sighed heavily and nodded. Andrew threw on his utility belt and sheathed his weapons and stele before saluting Alec on his way out.

The walk to Lorenzo’s was slower than it should have been. Andrew kicked at the littered sidewalks, his hands stuffed in his pockets, while he tried to ignore the fluttering in his stomach. As he faced the front door to Lorenzo’s mansion, he took a deep breath in. Apparently, that was enough to warn Lorenzo he was about to knock because it creaked open, a horror movie like sound that resonated through Andrew’s spine.

“Underhill, what brings you here so late in the evening?” Lorenzo asked as Andrew stepped into the foyer. Andrew wasn’t quite sure how he felt about his last name coming from Lorenzo’s lips, but he shook the thought away as he glanced around, taking in the ancient pottery and intricate paintings adorning his walls. There were many portraits that Andrew wanted to ask him about, but he figured that would be more appropriate for a later time.

“Alec sent me,” Andrew said quickly, ignoring the slight slump in Lorenzo’s shoulders. “There were quite a few demon attacks tonight. We’ve run out of useful shadowhunters and Magnus is pretty drained so Alec wanted Izzy, Simon, you, and I to be in charge of cleanup.” Lorenzo nodded at him and Andrew couldn’t help but blush when his eyes wandered over his shadowhunter gear.

“We’ve been reduced to magical janitors?” Lorenzo sighed out. Andrew let out a loud laugh that surprised both himself and Lorenzo. The smile that Andrew loved seeing was back on Lorenzo’s lips, though.

“It seems so. Are you willing to help?” Andrew asked carefully. He knew that Magnus felt obligated to help with Alec running the entire Institute and all. There was no reason for Lorenzo to help besides his position as High Warlock. Lorenzo seemed to take that into consideration before snapping his fingers to conjure a jacket.

“It’s a bit chilly out there tonight. Are you going to be okay with just that?” Lorenzo asked, motioning toward Andrew’s black t-shirt and black jeans. Andrew suddenly felt self-conscious about his choice in clothes but shook his head anyways.

“I’ll be fine. Izzy and Simon are going to meet us there. Are you all set? Need any magical things or…?” Andrew waved his hands around, an attempt at imitating a warlocks movements. Lorenzo just stared at him. What was it about those eyes that had Andrew’s cheeks in a constant blush? He would have to figure that out later or ignore it altogether. Lorenzo created a portal to their location, waving his hand.

“Shadowhunters first,” Lorenzo said with a teasing lilt in his tone. Andrew blushed even harder before jumping through the portal quicker than was probably necessary. Simon and Izzy were hard at work in front of the corpses of ravenor demons. Simon was using his vampire speed to lift them up and run them to the shore a few hundred yards away while Izzy runed some to ash. When they caught sight of the two that had appeared, they stopped and a mysterious smirk immediately took its place on Izzy’s lips.

“Lorenzo, Underhill! So happy you could join us. Took a little bit longer than we anticipated,” Izzy teased, motioning toward the remainder of the demons. There were only half a dozen left meaning Simon and Izzy had taken care of a majority of them. By the look in Izzy’s eyes, this had been a setup by Alec and he wasn’t sure whether he was glad for it or not.

“Lorenzo didn’t live as close to the Institute as Alec had made it seem,” Andrew accused. Simon raced another corpse to the shore, the vampire never good at hiding his facial expressions.

“Well, that just means you two are off the hook. Alec also talked to me about you two putting your heads together,” Izzy started. Andrew gulped at the gleam in Izzy’s eyes. “He wants you both to figure out where these demons are coming from,” Izzy finished. “Starting now,” she added as an afterthought. It was like she could see Andrew’s excuses before he thought of them.

“Well, off to the Institute with us then, shall we?” Lorenzo said quickly as he waved his hands to create a portal. Izzy shook her head, effectively stopping his conjure.

“Actually, the Institute is pretty busy right now. You know, with injured and tired shadowhunters. Could you maybe entertain our poor Underhill until the medics have had a chance to see everyone?” Izzy said, raising her eyebrows suggestively and Andrew just sighed at the obviousness of it. He knew he couldn’t really say no to his boss’s sister as much as he really,  _ really _ wanted to.

“My place it is,” Lorenzo stated. Andrew tried to push off the hurt at Lorenzo’s annoyed tone and wondered what he had done to earn it. Lorenzo created the portal and walked through, sparks fluttering around the edges. Andrew looked back at a prideful Izzy and a dopey Simon as they waved. He narrowed his eyes as he put one foot through the portal.

“Don’t think I don’t know what you Lightwoods are up to,” Andrew barked before walking the rest of the way through. He heard the faint sound of Izzy’s laughter before the portal closed behind him. He looked around slowly, taking in Lorenzo’s living room. The warlock had excellent taste which Andrew immediately attributed to his long life. The paintings caught his eye once more as Lorenzo made his way back into the room, two mugs in hand.

“It’s coffee. I have tea, too, if that suits you more. I don’t really know what suits you,” Lorenzo stated. If Andrew didn’t know any better, he would say there was a nervousness in his tone.

“Coffee is great. I take it black, so… Easy to remember. If you want to remember that is,” Andrew rambled. He grabbed the mug with one hand before he turned to one of the paintings. Most paintings in Lorenzo’s collection were vibrant and practically pulsing energy, but the one that caught his eye was muted. In it, there was a figure of a man sitting on the beach. The waves were barely existent and the sun was nowhere to be seen. This one was… sad. Andrew immediately felt connected to it. He felt Lorenzo move next to him, a simple brush of shoulders that shouldn’t have been enough to gather Andrew’s attention, and glanced over to see a similar sadness in Lorenzo’s eyes.

“Picasso. Man sitting on Barceloneta beach,” Lorenzo said with no emotion in his voice. Andrew nodded before he moved away from the painting. There was a story there but now didn’t seem like the right time to ask about it. He couldn’t stop himself from trying to know just a little more about the fascinating warlock, though. 

“This one doesn’t quite fit with the rest of your… collection,” Andrew commented as he took another gulp of his coffee. He risked another glance at Lorenzo and saw more grief in his eyes than he liked. 

“Picasso was a wonderful artist. He truly found a way to capture what was right in front of him,” Lorenzo commented. Andrew nodded and tilted his head at the warlock. It was still strange to him that Lorenzo had met people he learned about through books and history classes. 

“What was right in front of him?” Andrew asked, his eyes searching Lorenzo’s as he turned toward him. 

“A very sad warlock. Mourning a loss on the beaches of Spain,” Lorenzo responded. Andrew nodded and found himself unable to look away from Lorenzo’s deep brown eyes. His breath caught in his throat as he saw behind the confident demeanor Lorenzo presented to everyone else. 

He felt himself leaning in and was unable to stop, not that he tried. Lorenzo was beautiful and he was right in front of him, the lips Andrew had thought of for weeks tantalizingly damp and only a breath away. They were alone in his mansion, no other shadowhunters around to interrupt and Andrew wanted, needed, to taste his lips for the first time. He saw the panic flash in Lorenzo’s eyes and paused, his eyes solidly on Lorenzo’s. 

“No one deserves to be sad,” Andrew said softly, unable to stop the glance down to Lorenzo’s lips. Before he could say anything else, Lorenzo turned away and sat down on the couch. 

“So, uh, demons,” Lorenzo said lamely. Andrew chuckled and sat down on the seat across from him and finished his mug of coffee. If Lorenzo wasn’t ready, he wouldn’t push, but he also wasn’t going to push aside his shadowhunter duties.

“Demons, yes.” Andrew cleared his throat and pulled out his phone. “There’s been increased demonic activity underneath the Holy Trinity Church in Brooklyn,” Andrew explained. “The werewolf we had been tracking has also been making some stops around that location. I say maybe we get some sleep and go check it out tomorrow night?” Andrew suggested as he got up. There was a part of him that wanted to stay, but he had to get out of there. Lorenzo was pulling away and if that was what he wanted, that’s what he would get. It only served him right after he did the same the night of the wedding. 

“Do you want to, come by here? Say, six o’clock?” Lorenzo asked, running his fingers through his hair. Andrew held back the urge to reach out and do the same and backed to the door. It was a lot closer than he had thought, which he found out as his elbow banged into it. He cursed and narrowed his eyes as Lorenzo chuckled at him. 

“Okay, tomorrow. Six o’clock. It’s a date,” Andrew confirmed. At Lorenzo’s chuckle, Andrew’s eyes widened. “Not a date. A work event. It’s a-- I’m gonna go now,” Andrew stuttered out. Lorenzo just nodded, as amused smirk covering his face as the door slammed shut. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please let me know what you think and scream at me on [Tumblr](https://archeryandeyeliner.tumblr.com/) or [Twitter](https://twitter.com/thatnerdemilyj).
> 
> Please feel free to leave kudos if you like it and comment anything you please. I promise I will smile and reply.
> 
> If your looking to be more involved in the fandom and don't know where to start, come join a super fun [Discord](https://discord.gg/8Q8yBVg)! 
> 
> See you soon!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all are ready for some Lorenzo Sympathy™.

Lorenzo shook his head and placed his hand on the cold wood separating him and Andrew. He wanted to ask Andrew to stay; he wanted to pull him closer and kiss those supple lips and push that sexy leather jacket down his shoulders and onto the floor. But Lorenzo moved away. He sat down on the couch, leaving no room for Andrew to join, and ruined that chance. He couldn’t begin to explain to himself why. He guessed that Andrew seeing his susceptibility through his Picasso painting was a feeling he wasn’t ready for. 

Lorenzo wasn’t vulnerable; he loved and lost like any other warlock. He experienced death and heartbreak and hatred more than any other species and lived to tell the tales. Andrew was pushing through all his defenses with his stupid Nephilim face and his stupid Nephilim body and-- Lorenzo cut his thoughts off, shaking his head abruptly. He walked to the kitchen and poured himself an Old Fashioned, swirling it around in the glass as he looked out the window. 

He hadn’t thought to put away the painting of him. Sometimes he took it out just to remember Alvaro and the secret times they spent together. Alvaro was an incredible shadowhunter. He was transferred to the Madrid Institute because of his literary skills and his uncanny ability to persuade downworlders to do their dangerous bidding. As the second in command of the High Warlock of Madrid, Lorenzo was often the spokesperson to the shadowhunters, to Alvaro. They did a lot of speaking, but they did a lot of things together and somehow, Lorenzo found himself falling furiously in love.

They hunted together, loved together, laughed together, and fought together. There was something about the way Alvaro was with him that had Lorenzo counting every moment they spent together. Until that counting came to an abrupt stop. Lorenzo hadn’t heard from Alvaro in 26 hours and 13 minutes. He had been keeping track of their moments away from each other as well, awaiting the next time he would have his lover in his arms. After so long with no contact, Lorenzo defied the High Warlock’s orders and portalled to the Madrid Institute. Everyone was dressed in white and the lack of color had Lorenzo’s stomach dropping. He might not have been a shadowhunter himself or had an interest in shadowhunter culture, but even he knew what the sea of white meant. 

No one wanted to talk to the dastardly warlock that they had been forced to work with. None of them would tell him where Alvaro was, going as far as attempting to handcuff him and throw him into their prison. Until Alvaro’s sister, Elena, had found him, sitting on the steps in front of the Institute. The tears threatening to fall from her eyes had his own glossing over, his heart racing, and his stomach dropping. Lorenzo was sure he had never felt a sadness like the one that washed over him on that day. She had his stele in her hand, one Lorenzo could never forget the sight of, and it was all he needed to see for the tears to finally fall. Elena defied everything they both knew was right and gave it to Lorenzo, begging him to get as far away from the Institute as he could. Alvaro was killed by a warlock and Lorenzo was now suspect number one.

So he ran. He wandered to the beach in Barceloneta where Alvaro had kissed him until they had no more breath. Where Alvaro had loved him until their skin was raw from sand and their bodies ached at every movement. He sat there for hours, not knowing his sorrow was being captured by such a unique artist. Seeing himself wallowing in Alvaro’s death was what pushed him to seek out the warlock who had killed him.

A few months later, Lorenzo had little information. He had reached out to Elena who took the great risk of admitting that a rogue warlock was hired by a greater demon to annihilate any shadowhunters associated with the Madrid Institute. Alvaro caught wind of this and went after the warlock himself so no one else would get hurt. Lorenzo had spent years trying to make sure Alvaro’s death was not for nothing, but he never found the warlock responsible. 

That was when Lorenzo had first heard of Magnus Bane, the temporary High Warlock of London who was spending too much time with his vampire girlfriend to keep track of his people. Lorenzo blamed him for the loss of Alvaro for the longest time, seeking to destroy him in any way possible. When Magnus started dating his own shadowhunter, Lorenzo kept a close eye. While he never wanted Magnus to experience the loss he had, when the High Warlock of Brooklyn position was up for grabs, he jumped on it as quickly as he could. When Magnus lost his magic, he had to admit that a small bit of him was glad Magnus had lost an integral part of him as Lorenzo had when Alvaro was taken from him.

But he saw something in Alec when he had come to beg him to help. The tears in Alec’s eyes were too real and the sadness he exuded was too great. Lorenzo didn’t want anyone to hurt more than he wanted revenge. So he helped. He pushed aside their differences and cured him, shared his magic with the person he least liked in the world. Watching Alec hold Magnus at his weakest knocked something in Lorenzo’s heart. He went home, to the loft he had procured from Magnus, and started packing up his belongings.

He changed his mind pretty easily when Magnus and Asmodeus entered and turned him into a chameleon. He was stuck like that for much longer than he would have wanted. He could laugh at the memory now that the entire story was explained to him, but there was a part of him that wanted to hate Magnus again. But he witnessed the determination in Alec’s eyes when Magnus was in Edom. He saw the hours spent over books, searching for any semblance of hope. He saw Alec’s constant tears and the bags darkening under his eyes each hour he slaved away. He heard Alec’s pleas to the Angel Raziel and whoever else might have been listening and Lorenzo found himself unable to say no. 

He was always going to help Alec get Magnus back. He knew what it was like to lose someone he loved as much as Alec loved Magnus and vice versa. In Edom, his heart broke at the way Alec clutched onto the ring on his finger; it was the same way Lorenzo clutched onto the stele kept hidden in the back of his closet, away from prying eyes and warded against tracking, whenever he needed to remember the love he once had.

It had started raining by the time Lorenzo had felt his eyes straining to stay open. The sun was rising, attempting to shine through the dark clouds overhead. Lorenzo knew that feeling too well. He downed the last of his drink and walked toward his bedroom. With one last glance at the painting, he sighed and snapped his fingers to hide it away once more. He figured after a day like that, a few hours of sleep would do him well. He went to sleep, trying to calm the knot in his stomach of seeing Andrew once more.

* * *

Andrew found his night restless, tossing and turning until the sun seeped through his window at the Institute. He got up and ready for the day, grateful for the steaming cup of coffee Izzy had waiting for him at the ops center. 

“And to what do I owe the pleasure, Ms. Lightwood?” Andrew teased, holding the coffee delicately in his hands, breathing in the scent and heat that came with it. Izzy rolled her eyes and pulled up a photo of the Holy Trinity Church. 

“Early this morning, around 4AM, the ley lines connecting underneath the church seized,” Izzy started. Seemingly noticing the panic in Andrew’s eyes, she continued. “There were no injuries to be reported and no warlocks in the vicinity were actively using magic at the time,” Izzy finished. Andrew sighed in relief. He remembered the casualties that came from Lilith’s use of the ley lines and wanted to do everything in his power to not have a repeat incident. If Lorenzo was the first warlock on his mind, he opted to ignore it.

“Where was our werewolf?” Andrew asked, pulling up the tracking technology to see the wolf dormant in his home location. 

“According to the stats, sound asleep in human form. This is bigger than him, Andrew,” Izzy said seriously. Andrew nodded and turned toward Alec at the sound of his voice. His breath caught in his throat and he sputtered on his coffee when he saw Lorenzo trailing behind his boss. 

“Underhill, I think it’s time we send a group to the church,” Alec started. “I want Lorenzo in on this. This new use of the ley lines screams warlock and neither of us wants to play it safe.” Lorenzo nodded from behind Alec as he moved to the holograph hovering over the table. 

“I’ve checked with my sources and there are two local warlocks that have gone off-grid in the last few months. Aiden Fade and Leland Croix. I have it on good authority that either of them could be the cause of the demon attacks and have tracked their locations.” Lorenzo expertly pulled up two destinations on the map, neither giving Andrew any more insight on who to try first. 

“What are you thinking, Alec?” Andrew asked. Magnus strode in looking perfectly put together, per usual, and took over the conversation as if he had heard the entirety of it. 

“I’ll take Aiden. We go back a few hundred years. While he’s a major nuisance, I have a hard time believing he’s the leader of whatever this show is,” Magnus said. “I’ll take Alec and Underhill with me to check it out.” Magnus turned toward Lorenzo. “Can you stay put and work with Izzy on what this warlock could be planning?” Lorenzo nodded. Andrew pushed aside the little bit of disappointment of not being paired with Lorenzo and tried to convince himself that his duties were more important. 

“Ms. Lightwood and I will check out the ley lines and be sure there’s no further corruption while you follow this lead. I’ll also try to find Leland, but I highly doubt he’ll be easy to track.” Magnus nodded and turned toward Andrew, a bright smile on his face. 

“Suit up, shadowhunter. It’s gonna be an exciting morning.”

* * *

Magnus led the way with a portal spitting out the two shadowhunters and himself in the middle of a field. Magnus scoffed as he took in his surroundings. 

“He’s expecting us. His wards are open and inviting. How kind of him,” Magnus said with such disdain in his voice that the corner of Andrew’s mouth turned up. He had known Magnus to be sarcastic and a little bit sassy, if you asked Izzy, and he was starting to see that side of Magnus more and more as they wandered into friendship. He liked Magnus that way and could see how Alec was immediately enamored by the warlock all those months ago. 

Alec let his husband lead the way to the front door of a quaint cottage. Andrew thought it looked like something out of a children’s book. The door opened and in the doorway was a light-haired man who looked no older than 20. He wasn’t conventionally attractive, but Andrew felt captured by his presence. He leaned against the doorframe casually, a cigarette with bright yellow smoke puffing off of it between his fingers and a smirk on his lips. 

“Magnus, my friend, it’s been years, hasn’t it?” The warlock gestured the group into his home and Andrew thought that Magnus wasn’t wrong when he said open and inviting. There was not a threatening object around. His walls were filled with abstract art, joyful and loaded with colors, his furniture as eccentric as Andrew would have expected most warlocks to be if Magnus and Lorenzo were of any hint. If Andrew didn’t know any better, he would have assumed the warlock was mundane judging by the less than threatening smile plastered on his face.

“Aiden. Friends is a bit of an overstatement, isn’t it? You didn’t even respond to my wedding invite,” Magnus grumbled. Aiden waved his fingers, magic sparking as a drink appeared in his hand. Andrew made a mental note to ask Alec what the alcohol tolerance of a warlock was. He assumed it was low based on how often he’d seen them drink. He guessed when you had the world at your fingertips, it didn’t matter if you could remember it in the morning.

“No hard feelings, right, Bane?” Magnus nodded, carefully eyeing the place as if checking for a trap. “No tricks up my sleeve. I know better than to mess with the Lightwood-Bane’s, doesn’t everyone?” Magnus raised his eyebrows, taking a seat on one of the plush chairs in the living room. He didn’t sit with his usual nonchalance and it put Andrew at more alert than he had been moments before. He watched as Alec placed himself behind the chair, a hand on Magnus’ shoulder. They looked more powerful than Andrew had ever seen them. He didn’t have to think twice about Aiden’s words; it was obvious that you didn’t mess with the Lightwood-Bane’s. 

“As much as I enjoy this complimentative conversation, we’re here about Holy Trinity Church.” The look on Aiden’s face was pure confusion but there was something else there that had Andrew’s fingers twitching to reach for his blade. His eyes darted to Alec, taking cues from his leader, and when he saw Alec’s hands free of a weapon, he let his own relax. 

“What does that have to do with me?” Aiden asked, twirling his finger around the rim of his sugared glass. Magnus scoffed and let his magic float above his fingertips menacingly. The power they had before seemed to double as the blue sparkled, tiny flecks of red woven into it like a threat. Andrew had seen Magnus as High Warlock a handful of times and every time, he couldn’t believe how easily he commanded the room. 

“That’s what we would like to know, Aid,” Magnus said smoothly. Aiden’s face broke into a smile and a burst of laughter left his lips. A chill ran down Andrew’s spine at the sound, broken and disbelieving. 

“Apparently, you don’t need to know too much or Lorenzo would have come himself instead of sending the  _ former _ High Warlock, his poor excuse for a husband and… this handsome fella,” Aiden gestured toward Andrew, who stood stiff with his hands behind his back, before he continued. Andrew didn’t like the mention of Lorenzo, not one bit, and his skin seemed to hum with every passing second.

“What does Lorenzo have to do with this?” Alec asked, his voice tense.

“You all have no idea, do you?” Aiden teased. Andrew could feel electricity sparking throughout the room. The hair on the back of his neck standing on end. 

“Have no idea of what?” Magnus asked. His own hands were flickering blue. Andrew glanced at Alec and saw his hand resting on the sheath holding his seraph blade. Andrew mimicked him, shaking off the uncomfortable feeling pulsing through the air. Andrew saw the sparks of orange flying from Aiden’s fingers before a jolt of magic hit the three of them, sending them flying back against the wall. Blue magic striking out at the other warlock was the last thing Andrew saw before his vision went dark. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My goal with this chapter is to have people like/understand canon Lorenzo, just a little. Please tell me if I succeeded 😬
> 
> Please let me know what you think and scream at me on [Tumblr](https://archeryandeyeliner.tumblr.com/) or [Twitter](https://twitter.com/thatnerdemilyj).
> 
> Please feel free to leave kudos if you like it and comment anything you please. I promise I will smile and reply.
> 
> If your looking to be more involved in the fandom and don't know where to start, come join a super fun [Discord](https://discord.gg/8Q8yBVg)! 
> 
> See you soon!


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some softness and some much needed (at least for me) bonding. 
> 
> Thank you, Cor, for being such a fantastic beta and leaving the best notes on my chapters!

Lorenzo was pacing. He hadn’t been able to stand still since the minute Izzy hung up the phone. He shouldn’t have let them go to Aiden’s alone. Magnus was a powerful warlock but he underestimated everyone. He underestimated Lorenzo at first and now Lorenzo had his title. He tried to push back his anger but it was no use. All he had heard was that Andrew was hurt and Magnus was weak and a portal wasn’t an option. 

He had forgotten how agonizing it was to wait for those he loved to show up. Not that he loved anyone. He had strong feelings for Magnus and Alec. No, that wasn’t right either. He cared for them. He cared for all of them.  _ Where was Andrew?  _ He thought.  _ Was he okay? _

The doors of the Institute crashed open, Alec carrying an entirely too limp Andrew in his arms. Magnus’ voice rang out over the bustle of the Institute. 

“Lorenzo! Infirmary. Now.” Lorenzo nodded, trying not to focus on the listless shadowhunter the best he could. Magnus magicked open the doors and Lorenzo was surprised by how active the room was. There were only three empty beds and Alec deposited Andrew onto the closest one. 

“What happened?” Lorenzo asked. He tried to hide the panic in his voice but he didn’t think he was doing a good job. If anyone noticed, though, they didn’t point it out. 

“Aiden happened. The bastard invited us in, opened his wards, and then blasted us,” Magnus reported. Lorenzo nodded as his hands grazed over Andrew’s body. They floated over his clothes, never touching, but healing the small injuries. His magic pulsed out over Andrew’s head, the yellow blending in with the blonde hair on top of it. 

“Concussion,” Lorenzo commented softly. When he got no answer, he glanced over his shoulder and realized he was speaking to no audience. He assumed Alec and Magnus were getting their own vitals checked from the blast, but he didn’t have time to care. He needed to focus on healing the man in front of him. He pulsed his magic through Andrew’s skull and healed the minuscule bruises and tears that did a majority of the damage. He knew his magic had started to repair the injuries when Andrew’s eyes blinked open only slightly. 

“Lo…” Lorenzo shushed him and gave in to the urge to run his fingers through the golden curls. A small groan left Andrew’s lips, and he pulled his hand away in an instant. “No, don’t,” Andrew whispered. The words were weak and fragile in a way that made Lorenzo’s heart clench in his chest and fury light up his skin. 

“Underhill, you with us?” Alec’s voice broke Lorenozo’s concentration and he struggled to focus his magic back on the healing. Andrew swatted his hands away and sat up slowly in the bed. Lorenzo backed away and let Alec run his stele over the iratze on Andrew’s wrist. A surge of jealousy washed over Lorenzo as he stepped back and let the shadowhunter do his work. He felt a gentle hand on his shoulder and turned abruptly, his magic lighting up his palms in dark red. 

“Take a walk with me, Rey,” Magnus said softly. Lorenzo stared in Andrew’s direction, not wanting to let the injured man out of his sight. He heard Magnus sigh before he squeezed his shoulder once more. “Lorenzo,” Magnus started, the seriousness in his tone gaining the warlock’s attention again. “Your hands are trembling and your magic is out of control. Let’s take a walk before you blast every single shadowhunter in this room, okay?” Lorenzo heard the question, but he knew it wasn’t meant to be one. He nodded slowly, glancing back at Andrew before he shook his head. He knew his reaction was fueled by emotion and pushed back the shame floating heavily over him. He let Magnus lead him through the Institute, the bang of the doors knocking some sense into him. 

“Did you get Aiden?” Lorenzo asked. He was trying to focus on reigning his magic back in and that involved not thinking about how fragile Andrew looked a few moments prior. Magnus was leading Lorenzo in the direction of Alec’s office but it was too far away from Andrew. “I need to get back to the infirmary,” he started. At Magnus’ judgmental glance, he held up his hands. “Magic is under control. I’m High Warlock now, Bane. Give me some credit.” Lorenzo knew his tone was unfriendly but all he could think about was Andrew. He was a bit angry that Magnus couldn’t relate to that feeling. 

“Lorenzo, I need to talk to you about Aiden,” Magnus said, his voice more serious than Lorenzo could really handle right now. He stood up straighter and held his chin up, the typical High Warlock stance he’d perfected over the last few months. 

“Talk. What did that bastard have to say?” Lorenzo felt his magic tremoring underneath his skin and pushed it down once more. 

“He seemed to think you should know what is going on.” Magnus didn’t sound accusatory but Lorenzo knew their level of trust was not high enough for him to believe his next words. 

“I don’t know who’s behind any of this, Bane. I don’t even know what  _ this _ really is!” Lorenzo threw his hands up, his magic fully under control now that his mind was beyond Andrew. Magnus sighed heavily and took a step toward Lorenzo. 

“I know. I wasn’t sure before but I know now,” Magnus said genuinely. He gestured toward one of the leather chairs furnishing Alec’s office and Lorenzo sat down with a huff.

“I’m surprised you bent so easily, Bane. Not having a High Warlock title must have made you soft,” Lorenzo said. His voice was tired, even he could hear it, but he hoped Magnus didn’t point it out. He was grateful he didn’t have to fight for himself at that moment. His mind was too busy and he was exhausted, so exhausted, and all he wanted to do was be by Andrew’s side.

“Demons are attacking the shadowhunter’s from this Institute left and right. There’s a rogue werewolf moving back and forth between the centralized location and an off the charts magical signature that doesn’t belong to Aiden.” Lorenzo’s head shot up in intrigue.

“Aiden has nothing to do with this?” Magnus shook his head, his fingers fiddling with his wedding ring. Lorenzo thought it was quite endearing.

“I wouldn’t say nothing. He said that if we really wanted information, you would’ve been there. He didn’t give us much of anything else before he blasted us,” Magnus explained. His fingers stopped fiddling and he looked directly at Lorenzo. “I had my guard down. I had the two strongest shadowhunter’s at my back and I underestimated him. For that, I’m sorry.” Lorenzo looked at Magnus confused. Why was Magnus admitting any form of defeat and why was Magnus looking at him with sadness. Magnus was the one who was hurt. Magnus, his husband, and Andrew were hurt and there was nothing he needed to apologize to Lorenzo for.

“There’s no need to apologize to me,” Lorenzo said. Magnus looked at him incredulously and Lorenzo raised his eyebrows. 

“Andrew is hurt. Don’t tell me you don’t blame me for that. You blame me for almost everything else usually,” Magnus commented. Lorenzo scoffed but felt his spine straighten at the mention of Andrew. 

“Andrew is fine because of me. And I wouldn’t have blamed you if Alec was hurt, why would I with Andrew?” Lorenzo knew Magnus didn’t believe his words and Lorenzo wasn’t sure he did either. 

“I see…” Magnus started. He placed a friendly hand on Lorenzo’s shoulder before speaking again. “We’re going to pretend that in an infirmary filled with shadowhunters, you would’ve treated every one of them the same.” Lorenzo’s first instinct was to argue but he didn’t have it in him. It was obvious he didn’t hold shadowhunters to the highest regard and Magnus knew that better than anyone else. Magnus also knew what it was like to feel something more for a Shadowhunter. At that moment, Lorenzo gave up.

“I don’t know how to handle this, Magnus. I-- I know that my reputation around this Institute isn’t exactly one to brag about. I spent the first few months doing everything in my power to convince the shadowhunters that I was better than, well, you.” Lorenzo’s voice faded as he tried to explain his thoughts to Magnus. He never thought he would be in the space to be having a discussion like this with his former rival but there he was. 

“Andrew respects you. Why? I don’t know. But he does. And at the mere mention of your name from Aiden’s lips, he tensed.” Lorenzo bit down on his bottom lip, trying to hold back a small smile, one that he hadn’t quite let himself have in recent days. “Alec has complained an insurmountable amount of times about how quick Andrew is to defend your name,” Magnus added as he squeezed Lorenzo’s shoulder. He took his hand off and stood up, gesturing toward the door. 

“No one thinks you’re behind this attack, Lorenzo. At least, I don’t, and I have some pull with this Institute. Go be with Andrew when he wakes up fully. He’ll want you there,” Magnus said softly as Lorenzo stood up to follow him. 

“He won’t want me there for any other reason than to heal him,” Lorenzo stated matter-of-factly. Magnus raised an eyebrow at him but seemed to decide against arguing. 

“Then heal him. Because we need him healthy to help us figure out who  _ is _ behind this.” With that, Magnus walked out the door, leaving Lorenzo to finally breathe again. 

* * *

A few hours later and Lorenzo still hadn’t left Andrew’s bedside. Alec had peered in a few times, checking on his friend and found his heart sinking at Andrew’s still limp body. He checked again before midnight struck and Lorenzo was still in the same position. With a shake of his head, he walked to the room he had made up for himself and Magnus for the night and watched as Magnus removed his charred clothing and all of his accessories. Well, except one. Alec smiled softly and sat on the opposite side of the bed. 

“Lorenzo still hasn’t left. Magnus, I don’t… understand,” Alec sighed as he removed his boots and socks. He felt Magnus shrug and glanced over at him. “That’s it? A shrug? You’re usually more willing to gossip than this,” Alec noted as he pushed off his jeans and tossed his shirt to the side. He settled under the covers while Magnus used magic to wipe his face clean. Alec held up the blankets for him and he slid into the bed, attaching himself to Alec’s side with a sigh. 

“Remember when you tried to use your parabatai rune to track Jace and…” Magnus trailed off and Alec assumed that the rest was hard to say. Alec nodded his understanding and urged Magnus to continue with a kiss on his temple. “I didn’t leave your bedside for hours. Hell, Alec, I kidnapped you from the Institute and put you in my loft. And we had just barely had our first kiss,” Magnus explained as he rested his palm on Alec’s chest. Alec marveled at how one touch from Magnus still had his heart beating just a little bit faster. 

“We were pretty in love already, though, Magnus,” Alec commented as he placed his own hand over Magnus’. He stroked Magnus’ knuckles with his thumb, pausing a few moments longer over his ringed finger, and pulled him further into his side with his other arm. “Lorenzo and Andrew have barely interacted,” Alec noted. Magnus let out a huff of laughter at that and peered up at Alec. 

“I bet people said the same about us when I busted into your wedding. There were people that didn’t even know we  _ knew _ each other. Cough, Maryse, Cough,” Magnus teased. Alec rolled his eyes. 

“We’re different, Magnus. You know that.” Magnus nodded his head and nustled his face into Alec’s chest. 

“Lorenzo cares for Andrew in a very similar way. Warlocks… We understand love differently than mortals. We know how much love can hinder your ability to live but we also know just how much it’s worth.” Magnus turned his hand over and laced his fingers with Alec’s who brought them up to his lips for a brief kiss. “I can guarantee that Lorenzo has spent a lot of time trying to talk himself out of loving Andrew. But the minute he knew he was hurt that all went out the window. Just like it did when you were lying unconscious on my couch.” Alec nodded, still not quite understanding but he figured that Magnus knew what he was talking about. He sighed lightly before placing a soft kiss on Magnus’ cheek. 

“And you’re sure Lorenzo isn’t behind this? Aiden said--” Magnus waved Alec off with a flick of his wrist, the lights extinguishing around them at the same time.

“Aiden hurt Andrew. There’s no way that Lorenzo is in on this, Alexander. But we do need to figure out how Lorenzo is involved. Aiden wondered why Lorenzo didn’t come with us so he must be involved, even if he doesn’t know how,” Magnus thought out loud, finishing with a sigh. “He won’t be of any help until Andrew wakes up. I’ll check on him in the morning and we’ll go from there,” Magnus decided. He smirked to himself before he flung a leg over Alec, effectively straddling his hips, and placed his hands on Alec’s chest. 

“Oh, thank the Angel,” Alec whispered as Magnus leaned down to kiss him. 

* * *

Lorenzo felt the hand in his hair and exhaled slowly. It had been a while since anyone had played with his hair like that. The fingers ran through the strands lightly and Lorenzo relaxed into the touch. A small sigh left his lips and at the noise, the fingers disappeared. Lorenzo lifted his head and saw Andrew staring over at him. He shot up as quickly as he could, his magic pouring from his fingertips as he assessed Andrew. He gasped in surprise when Andrew’s hand covered his own, uncaring of the magic that flowed out of it. Lorenzo sat back down, a sense of relief flooding through him. 

“You’re awake,” Lorenzo noticed lamely. Andrew nodded and smiled over at him. 

“All thanks to you. Magnus told me that you’ve been watching over me,” Andrew said softly. Lorenzo felt his heart stutter at the gentle tone Andrew used. Like Lorenzo had been the one lying in the infirmary unconscious for nearly 24 hours. 

“I was worried,” Lorenzo whispered, his eyes meeting Andrew’s blue ones that Lorenzo hadn’t realized he had missed so much. “You, uh, had a concussion. Magnus said you hit a wall pretty harshly which was most likely the cause.” Andrew nodded at him and his eyes glanced down for a moment. Lorenzo realized that he was still grasping at Andrew’s hand and went to move it away but Andrew just held it tighter. Lorenzo couldn’t breathe. 

“I didn’t mean to worry you,” Andrew said, his thumb running over the back of Lorenzo’s hand slowly. Lorenzo gulped and licked his lips, his mouth suddenly feeling overwhelmingly parched. He used his unoccupied hand to take a sip out of the cup next to the bed. “Aiden seems… powerful,” Andrew commented. Lorenzo huffed out a laugh and felt even more relieved as he smiled for the first time in a day. Andrew grinned with him and Lorenzo couldn’t help but shake his head. 

“I don’t know how you manage to make me laugh at a time like this. You should be angry with me,” Lorenzo accused as he finally disconnected their hands in favor of conjuring another cup of water into Andrew’s. Andrew glanced wide eyed at the sudden appearance but brought the cup to his lips and sipped slowly. 

“You’re not the reason I’m in the infirmary. Aiden is. Has Alec been able to track him yet?” Andrew inquired as he tried to sit up. Lorenzo stood abruptly and placed his hand on Andrew’s back before conjuring a pillow to help him stay vertical. Andrew smiled at him in thanks and Lorenzo just stared. Andrew had just woken up from an injury induced nap and he had already apologized, made Lorenzo laugh, and followed up about a mission. Lorenzo shook his head and took a few steps away. He was like no shadowhunter Lorenzo had ever met. 

“Aiden insinuated that I should know what is going on. Magnus and I are going to put our heads together and figure out who may be behind all of… this.” Lorenzo gestured around the infirmary. Almost every bed was still full. Andrew’s eyebrows furrowed as he sat up a little straighter, throwing his legs over the side of the bed. “Where are you going?” Lorenzo asked, his voice filled with worry that he knew he shouldn’t have. Andrew grabbed his stele from the table beside him and ran it over his dimmed iratze before glancing up at Lorenzo. 

“I’m going to go help. This bed could be used for someone who really needs it,” Andrew said as he stood up. He lost his balance for a moment and Lorenzo’s hand immediately grasped around his bicep. He pushed aside his observations of the strong muscle and raised an eyebrow at Andrew instead. 

“ _ You _ need it. Sit back down, Andrew,” Lorenzo commanded. Andrew complied immediately but not without a roll of his eyes. 

“Can’t you just--” Andrew waved his hands around, presumably mimicking Lorenzo’s when he performed magic. Lorenzo crossed his arms over his chest and eyed Andrew curiously. Andrew sighed and grabbed Lorenzo’s hands, shaking them in his grasp as if to create his own magic. Lorenzo laughed, his eyes shining, as he let a small flood of yellow pour out of his fingers. “C’mon doc, am I good to go?” Andrew smiled widely and Lorenzo’s heart leaped into his throat. He was utterly doomed. 

“You can take it slow. No demon fighting for at  _ least _ another 24 hours,” Lorenzo instructed firmly. Andrew stood up, a bit steadier on his feet this time, and Lorenzo knew it was due to the small healing spell he had cast but kept it to himself. 

“We should go find Magnus and Alec and figure out what in Edom Aiden was talking about when he mentioned you,” Andrew started walking toward the ops center but when Lorenzo stayed put, he stopped and turned back toward him. “You coming?” Lorenzo nodded but still didn’t move. He had caught sight of a young shadowhunter, struggling to trace his own iratze on the back of his shoulder. His hands were trembling and the gash in his forearm was bleeding profusely. Lorenzo held up a finger toward Andrew and walked over to the shadowhunter, crouching down to his level. 

“Can I help you?” Lorenzo asked, letting his magic light up his hands. The shadowhunter looked mesmerized by the misty yellow and nodded his head unsurely. Lorenzo let his fingers hover over the wound on his arm, the blood disappearing, and the gash vanishing as if it was never there. Lorenzo smiled down at his work and stood up, nodding at the child before turning away. 

He was stopped abruptly, his chest hitting a solid wall that belonged to Andrew’s chest as his hands grasped at Lorenzo’s arms to keep him from falling back. Lorenzo had to glance up to see Andrew looking down at him and he felt small for the first time in a long while. He gulped audibly and tried to convince himself to back away, ignoring how good it felt to be held by Andrew even in such a small way. He didn’t have to make the decision as Andrew stepped to the side and ran his stele across the iratze on the boy’s shoulder. 

“Just in case,” Andrew commented as he winked at the boy. The boy blushed and looked away from Andrew as he bit his lip. Andrew patted the boy’s shoulder and turned back toward Lorenzo. To Lorenzo’s surprise, he grabbed his hand and led him out of the infirmary, the boy watching after them incredulously. 

“I bet all the young shadowhunters look at you the way that boy does,” Lorenzo teased, reveling in the feel of Andrew’s slightly callused hand on his. Andrew let it go when they entered the hall and Lorenzo fought back the disappointment he should have expected. 

“I won’t say you’re wrong. I’m hoping Liam will assume we’re together and finally give Theo a chance,” Andrew commented, motioning toward another young shadowhunter pacing outside the infirmary. Andrew stopped to kneel in front of him and put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. “He’s okay. Lorenzo here healed him, good as new, okay?” Andrew said softly. The boy nodded and glanced over Andrew’s shoulder into the other room. Andrew chuckled and gestured behind him. “Go,” he instructed. The boy ran to the door, only slowing once he entered as if attempting at being casual.

“He is so gone for Liam. It’s cute, really. I remember being a young, gay shadowhunter and being absolutely in love with the cute weapons boy,” Andrew recalled as they started walking again. Lorenzo raised his eyebrows at Andrew, urging him to continue. “He was probably 20 years older than me but he could handle any weapon that came at him.” Lorenzo pressed his lips together at the innuendo and Andrew’s face turned beat red. Lorenzo thought it was possibly the cutest he had ever looked. 

“You wanted him to handle your weapon, huh?” Lorenzo teased as the ops center came into view. Andrew pushed at Lorenzo’s shoulder and Lorenzo stopped trying to hold in his laughter. When he saw Magnus and Alec staring at them, he pursed his lips and noticed Andrew’s immediate reaction to get into his usual soldier-like stance. 

“Underhill, you’re up,” Alec breathed out. He walked toward Andrew and pulled him into a hug, one that it seemed Andrew was not expecting. Andrew’s eyes widened almost comically and Lorenzo and Magnus both held in their snickers. Andrew hugged Alec back, patting his back awkwardly before they pulled apart. 

“I am, sir. Thanks to Lorenzo.” Andrew glanced over at him and grinned and Lorenzo couldn’t help but smile back. 

“That’s very true. And now that we’ve thanked Lorenzo, it’s time to get down to the bottom of his involvement,” Alec said sternly. Lorenzo looked over at Magnus with just a little panic in his eyes. Lorenzo figured that Alec was going to blame him for his half injured Institute, but he was holding onto hope that maybe the shadowhunter had started to trust him. Magnus placed a gentle hand on Alec’s shoulder but Alec waved his hand. “I don’t think you’re behind this, to be clear. But I think you know  _ something _ and we have to figure out what that something is before another one of my best gets hurt,” Alec explained. Lorenzo was surprised by the admission but shook it off. 

“I don’t know who Aiden could be working with. Did he give you any other indication on what I could know?” Lorenzo inquired as he glanced up at the screen behind Alec. Aiden and Leland’s pictures were side by side, more information than Lorenzo could have ever imagined listed underneath. He briefly wondered how much was listed under his own name, but Lorenzo’s eyes caught Leland’s known affiliates and he couldn’t hold back a gasp when he saw one name he never wished to see.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would apologize for another cliffhanger, BUT, it was too good to pass up :D 
> 
> Please let me know what you think and scream at me on [Tumblr](https://archeryandeyeliner.tumblr.com/) or [Twitter](https://twitter.com/thatnerdemilyj).
> 
> Please feel free to leave kudos if you like it and comment anything you please. I promise I will smile and reply.
> 
> If your looking to be more involved in the fandom and don't know where to start, come join a super fun [Discord](https://discord.gg/8Q8yBVg)! 
> 
> See you soon!


	5. Chapter 5

He and Alec were recounting their interaction with Aiden when Andrew glanced at Lorenzo. His face was sheet white, his eyes wide and his jaw set in what Andrew could only describe as fury. He turned toward Alec, his hands glowing with red magic that Andrew hadn’t seen from him before. 

“Why is Alvaro Reyes under affiliates?” Lorenzo shouted, the magic sparking out of his fingertips barely controlled. Magnus took a step in front of Alec, his own blue magic at the ready. 

“Lorenzo, calm down…” Magnus trailed off when a red bolt shot out of each hand and scorched the floor beneath him. Andrew’s eyes darted to all of the shadowhunters around them each with their hands on their weapons. 

“Stand down,” Andrew demanded, doing his best to use his body to block Lorenzo’s. Many backed away, listening to their commander while others waited for Alec to speak. 

“You heard him. Everyone out,” Alec ordered as he backed over to the screen. He clicked on Alvaro’s name and a photo appeared. A young Spanish man with runes covering his skin and a serious look on his face came into view and Andrew read his profile. 

**_Alvaro Reyes_   
** ******Species: Shadowhunter** **  
** **Status: Deceased** **  
** **Cause of Death: Warlock attack** **  
** **Responsible for Death: Leland Croix**

Andrew glanced back at Lorenzo and was surprised to find tears in his eyes but he was unsure if they were from anger or sadness. His magic was still red and seemed to encapsulate him in a dark, threatening glow. Andrew took a step closer and held out his hand. 

“Andrew, get back,” Magnus warned, holding his own hands up. Lorenzo’ angled toward Andrew at his movement, his magic pulsing out of every pore. Andrew shook his head and didn’t stop moving forward, walking slowly like he was approaching an easily scared animal. Before Andrew had time to react, Lorenzo’s hands shot up and all Andrew saw were red flames soaring directly at him. 

“Lorenzo!” He yelled as he held his hands up to protect himself. He waited for the pain, the heat, the burn, but it never came. Lorenzo’s magic had stopped like it had hit a force field just before it reached Andrew. Andrew peered from behind his hands to see Lorenzo fall to his knees, his magic dissipating into the air. His head hung low and Andrew could hear his heavy intakes of breath, his heart beating wildly. 

Before he could think twice, he ran over to Lorenzo, kneeled in front of him, and pulled him into a tight embrace. The only movement Andrew could feel was the trembling of Lorenzo’s body through his sobs. Andrew wanted Lorenzo to hold him back, push him away, do something to let him know that he was okay. Andrew wasn’t sure how long they sat there in silence, Magnus and Alec looking on with worry laced in their faces. 

“Hey, it’s okay. I’m okay,” Andrew whispered as he pressed his nose into Lorenzo’s hair. The scent was the only comfort he needed, knowing that Lorenzo needed that more. He glanced over to see Alec with his arm around Magnus’ waist, watching the two of them closely. Magnus’ magic was still ready in his palms and Andrew was grateful all of the other shadowhunters had left the room. 

“I’m sorry,” Lorenzo said in between sniffles. He composed himself enough to pull back and meet Andrew’s eyes before assessing him for injury. Andrew held his hands out and gestured to his unharmed body, forcing a smile onto his face. The fear in Lorenzo’s eyes was too much for him to bear. 

“Your magic didn’t hit me, Ren. It’s okay,” Andrew reassured again. Lorenzo’s face seemed to soften at his words and he took a deep breath before peering over at the photo still open on the screen. Alec went to shut off the computer, but Lorenzo shook his head. He stood up shakily on his feet and walked slowly to the computer. Andrew followed him closely, his hand resting on the small of Lorenzo’s back, hoping he was providing as much comfort as he was receiving. 

“Leland killed Alvaro? You’re sure?” Alec nodded and clicked a few times, blocking Lorenzo’s view as he read the screen. 

“Alvaro was a shadowhunter found dead after a raid gone wrong. They caught the greater demon involved who said he would give us information on who killed Alvaro for a one way trip to Edom. He named Leland but shadowhunters could never catch him. Not without the help of a warlock,” Alec added as he glanced toward Magnus. 

“And it wasn’t until recently that working closely with warlocks was accepted,” Magnus finished for his husband. Andrew couldn’t take his eyes off of Lorenzo. He had seen that look before when Lorenzo was contemplating the painting in his home.  _ A very sad warlock mourning a loss on the beaches in Spain _ , Lorenzo had explained. He saw the Barcelona Institute listed as Alvaro’s home location and glanced back at Lorenzo, understanding flooding through him. 

“You loved him,” Andrew commented, his voice soft as Lorenzo’s eyes darted back over at him. He nodded slowly and peered over at Magnus who Andrew noticed had been strangely quiet as he looked over the profile. 

“He was a warlock out of London,” Magnus stated, his voice strained. Lorenzo nodded quicker this time, a fire in his eyes that had Andrew rubbing soothing circles onto his back. 

“The High Warlock of London was too busy dallying with vampires to keep track of his people,” Lorenzo spat as he glared at Magnus. Magnus dropped his gaze to the floor and Alec took a protective step in front of him. 

“Camille--” Magnus’ voice trailed off as he shook his head. “Leland was my responsibility. Alvaro died because I was too busy chasing after a love I would never have,” Magnus realized sadly. Andrew watched as Lorenzo nodded in pained agreement, his eyes closing like he couldn’t bear to look at Magnus any longer.

“He had love. We had love. You think you were the first warlock to fall for a shadowhunter, Bane?” Lorenzo’s voice was louder each word and Andrew pressed his hand harder into his back, a lame attempt to calm him down. “Alvaro, he-- He didn’t deserve to die,” Lorenzo explained. “Let me know when you find Leland.” With that, he shook off Andrew’s touch and started toward the front doors of the Institute. Andrew turned to follow him but Magnus stopped him with a gentle hand on his arm. 

“Let him go, Andrew.” Andrew sighed deeply as he turned back to catch Alec’s eyes, a pleading look in his eyes. He didn’t want Lorenzo to be alone. “He needs time to grieve, again. And he needs time away from me,” Magnus explained. Andrew shook his head as Alec silently agreed and glanced longingly toward the front doors as they slammed shut. Magnus squeezed his arm and let out a long sigh before glancing at Alec.

“We need to figure out where Leland is. For Lorenzo,” Alec said as his fingers typed furiously at the keyboard. Andrew pushed aside the overwhelming urge to follow Lorenzo when he realized that Alec was right. He needed to help Lorenzo in the only way he knew how. Being a shadowhunter. 

* * *

Lorenzo kicked at the trash littering the deserted street in front of the Institute as he tried to push back the emotions rushing through him. He felt like he was grieving Alvaro all over again, now that he knew who was responsible for his death. He had searched for years, decades even, to try and find the warlock responsible for ending Alvaro’s life before it could really start. He could feel his magic churning inside him, the grief and anger causing it to boil over. He turned toward a dumpster down an alley and threw his hands out, bolts of red hot magic burning it to ash. 

And then he thought about Andrew. The way he had knelt in front of him and pulled him into his arms so easily, the feeling of his reassuring hand on his back. He thought about the way his magic had stopped so abruptly and without thought, not letting itself injure the shadowhunter. It was like his magic had recognized Andrew and the feeling shot an electric current through his spine. 

What he felt for Andrew rivaled what he felt for Alvaro and that thought alone terrified him. The hair on his arms stood on end and the tightening in his chest suffocated him with every breath he took. He was horrified by the feelings he had for Andrew because Andrew was a shadowhunter, he was a mortal, he was practically mundane. Lorenzo could lose him just as easily as he lost Alvaro. He wanted, with everything in him, to forget that Andrew had ever introduced himself and that he never made his way back to the Institute after the fact. 

He wasn’t sure how long he wandered the streets, losing himself in memories he didn’t care to remember. When he turned the corner to his home, he was ready to sigh in relief. He could make a cup of tea, freshly conjured from his favorite shop in London, change into his nightclothes, and pull up a book to get lost in. 

His breath caught in his throat when he saw Andrew sitting on the ground beside the front door, his eyes closed and his head pressed against the brick behind it. Lorenzo didn’t think Andrew noticed his arrival and for a second, he contemplated creating a portal to the Bermuda Triangle to avoid him. Instead, he watched closely from a distance, the way his hands wrung together as one pulled at the other and how he would crash his knees together without a flinch. 

Lorenzo knew he was beautiful. He had known it since the first moment he laid his eyes on the man. He disguised his immediate attraction as confusion, maybe even pretended to be impressed that a shadowhunter could talk to a warlock, when all Lorenzo wanted to do was gape at him. His perfectly crisp suit and impeccably styled hair to the way his hand was firm yet soft in their shake. 

He shook his head to will away yet another memory and with a deep breath in, he held his chin up and walked out of the shadows. It must have been the sound of the way his feet weren’t quite able to lift fully off the ground that caught Andrew’s attention. He shot up, wide eyed, and pushed himself off of the brick wall, his hands up in surrender. 

“I know you probably don’t want me here, but I--” Andrew trailed off and ran a hand through his hair. Apparently he didn’t know why he was there either. Lorenzo nodded and opened the door with a flick of his wrist, gesturing Andrew to follow him inside. They were both silent for a few moments, neither of them really sure what to say. 

“I was going to have some tea,” Lorenzo said as he smoothed out the slight wrinkles in his shirt from the jacket he was previously wearing. Andrew watched him and took an almost reluctant seat on the couch. He was perched on the edge, still wearing his jacket and shoes like he was afraid Lorenzo would kick him out at any moment. Lorenzo didn’t understand why he would possibly be thinking that. Andrew was the one who was almost killed by his magic only a few hours earlier. 

“I don’t really drink tea?” The sentence wasn’t a question, but Lorenzo heard the inflection at the end and raised an eyebrow. “I can try it!” Andrew corrected quickly, biting the inside of his cheek like it was the last thing he really wanted to drink. Lorenzo shook his head and snapped his fingers, a cup of coffee appearing in Andrew’s hands. 

“Black, right?” Lorenzo commented as he sat on the other end of the couch. Andrew smiled as he took the first sip, humming contentedly at the taste.

“You remembered,” Andrew said softly. 

Lorenzo shrugged his shoulders. “I wanted to.” The room went silent again, only the whistle of the wind blowing outside to be heard. Lorenzo conjured his own mug of tea and steeped the teabag in and out, a movement that had always been comforting to him. 

“Are you okay?” Andrew’s hushed voice broke the silence like a shout and Lorenzo visibly flinched at the question.  _ Was he okay? _ Andrew was acting as if he hadn’t just been cowering in fear of Lorenzo’s magic. “We think we’ve found where Leland has been hiding out,” Andrew continued. Lorenzo’s head shot up, his eyes filled with anger. 

“You’re telling me this now?” Lorenzo yelled. He tossed his tea aside as he stood, uncaring whether it spilled and not wanting to exert the magical energy to move it into the kitchen. Andrew stood up and walked to him, placing a delicate hand on Lorenzo’s arm and the touch calmed him in a way he never anticipated, in a way he thought he should have expected by now. 

“He’s not there. Not now,” Andrew said. With a gentle hand, he pulled Lorenzo so he was seated next to him, but didn’t remove his hold. “Alec sent a few shadowhunters to case the place. We’re going to find Leland, Ren.” Lorenzo glanced from Andrew’s hand on his arm to his face and couldn’t stop the laugh that escaped. 

“You shouldn’t-- I don’t understa-- Why are you--?” In all of Lorenzo’s 486 years, he had never been at a loss for words quite like that. The gentle hand on his bicep seemed to be burning a hole through his shirt and the closeness of Andrew was igniting something in him he couldn’t figure out. Instead of moving away, like Lorenzo expected him to, Andrew squeezed tighter and let their legs press together as he relaxed into the couch a little further. 

“Will you tell me? About Alvaro?” Andrew asked. His voice was light, hesitant almost, like he was afraid of the answer. Lorenzo knew he should decline. He hadn’t told anyone of Alvaro. But, he realized sadly, no one had ever asked. Andrew sat, his thigh pressed against Lorenzo’s, his arm thrown across the back of his couch like he was comfortable there, and that beautiful dimpled smile on his face and Lorenzo wanted to tell him everything. 

He reminisced with Andrew about their moments of laughter and love, their battles and fights. He told him of the way his heart leaped into his throat the minute Alvaro said his name, rolling the ‘r’ so perfectly under his tongue. He told him of the pain, the heart-wrenching grief of losing him, and how it was a loss he wasn’t sure he would ever come back from. 

And Andrew listened. With every laugh, he would smile along and with every expression of sadness, he would squeeze a little harder at Lorenzo’s arm. He waited, hearing every word Lorenzo had to say about a man he was once in love with, with no judgment in his eyes or callousness in his gaze. When Lorenzo stopped, staring off into the distance to remember with less hurt than he ever had, Andrew pushed himself off the back of the couch and leaned his elbows on his knees. 

“The man in the painting? On Barceletona beach? It-- it’s you?” Andrew asked. Lorenzo laughed at the incorrect pronunciation but nodded anyway as he peered over to where he knew he had hidden the painting. 

“Picasso was famous for his radical styles and cubism, but he knew how to capture emotion in a way most never expected of him. He offered me the painting when he was finished. He said he figured he owed it to me as I had been sitting on the beach for so long, I must not have had a home,” Lorenzo recalled, wishing he had the comfort of his tea in his hands. Andrew seemed to read his mind and provided his own form of comfort, lacing their fingers together. “When I lost Alvaro, it was like I lost my home. I didn’t know what to do next, knowing that I couldn’t wait for another moment with him anymore.” Andrew nodded his head somberly and the two sat together, this silence more soothing to Lorenzo. 

“But you moved forward?” Andrew said, his voice hopeful in a way that Lorenzo didn’t realize he needed. Lorenzo thought about Andrew’s words. It was obvious to Lorenzo that he  _ had _ moved forward in some way; he was working every day with shadowhunters and sitting side by side with one at that moment. He glanced over at Andrew and sighed heavily, reaching a hand up to cup the side of his face. Andrew seemed shocked by the move but leaned into the touch anyway. Lorenzo smiled over at him and brushed his thumb underneath Andrew’s beautiful eye. He was such a stark contrast from Alvaro; pale white skin, ocean blue eyes, sand-colored hair that curled over his forehead. The runes were still there, darkened against his smooth skin, and Lorenzo found the fingers of his other hand tracing over the angelic rune on Andrew’s forearm. 

“We’re always moving forward, aren’t we?” Lorenzo asked. He savored the feeling of Andrew’s smooth skin underneath his fingers and how much he wanted to keep his hand there for hours on end. Andrew gazed into Lorenzo’s eyes, tilting his head like he was asking a question that couldn’t be spoken aloud. Lorenzo nodded at him, hoping his answer was enough to move them even further forward. Andrew’s soft smile had Lorenzo’s heart leap and he hoped Andrew couldn’t feel it when he rested his palm against Lorenzo’s chest. 

The fire message that soared past Lorenzo’s ear had them both jumping apart. Andrew raised his hand to catch it as a heavy breath escaped his lips. Lorenzo figured he knew how Andrew was feeling if it was anything like the annoyance that surged through him. Andrew read the message, his eyes narrowing at the content before he stood up and held out a hand. 

“Magnus thinks he’s tracked down Leland. We would like for you to come along,” Andrew said, his voice hesitant. Lorenzo assumed it was due to his earlier confessions and his heart panged at the fact that Andrew was worried for him. He wasn’t sure if he could do it, stay on mission with the knowledge that Alvaro’s killer was the target, but with his hand enclosed in Andrew’s, he thought anything was possible. His magic sparked at his fingertips as he glanced over at Andrew.

“Where to?” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is honestly one of my favorite chapters so I hope you enjoy it as well ♥️
> 
> Please let me know what you think and scream at me on [Tumblr](https://archeryandeyeliner.tumblr.com/) or [Twitter](https://twitter.com/thatnerdemilyj).
> 
> Please feel free to leave kudos if you like it and comment anything you please. I promise I will smile and reply.
> 
> If your looking to be more involved in the fandom and don't know where to start, come join a super fun [Discord](https://discord.gg/8Q8yBVg)! 
> 
> See you soon!


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter contains a bit of action and a lot of Lorenzo introspection. I truly hope you enjoy it <3
> 
> Always a big THANK YOU to my wonderful beta, Cor <3

“I don’t know if I’ll ever get used to this form of travel,” Andrew said as the portal closed behind them. Lorenzo was familiar with the part of New York they had been instructed to go to but had never seen the decrepit brick building they had landed in front of before. He knew it was a popular werewolf territory and that warlocks were not usually welcome and his heart dropped when he realized that they may not have found Leland as they thought. He glanced over Andrew’s shoulder when he heard footsteps, only to see Magnus and Alec walking toward them. He pushed aside the hard feelings that immediately shot through him as Magnus approached cautiously. 

“We got some intel from Maia about the rogue werewolf and it led us here,” Alec said as he gestured toward the building. It didn’t look like anything out of the ordinary; heavy wooden doors with brick walls covered with vines on the outside. Lorenzo rubbed his palms together as both he and Magnus checked for a magical signature. Suddenly, the building was surrounded by golden wards causing both of them to curse. 

“It’s safe to say there’s a warlock living here,” Magnus commented. Lorenzo went to touch the wards and his hand immediately sparked with electricity. He pulled it back as quickly as he could and Andrew grabbed at it to check for injury. Lorenzo smiled softly at the gesture, his heart skipping at the immediate concern. 

“Can both of you drop them enough for us to get through?” Alec asked, raising his eyebrows at Lorenzo expectantly. Lorenzo sighed heavily but nodded. He might be angry at Magnus but he knew that taking down these wards was one way to get closer to Leland and he had never wanted anything so bad before. 

“We can get you both inside, but may not be able to follow.” Magnus’ voice was laced with concern as he looked at his shadowhunter. Alec stepped forward to cup Magnus’ face in his hands and rested their foreheads together. Lorenzo had to look away from the intimacy of it and locked eyes with Andrew. Lorenzo’s must have shown similar concern as Andrew’s face softened. 

“We’ll be fine. You know, shadowhunters and all that,” he said with a dismissive wave of his hand. He rubbed the back of his neck and glanced up at the other couple who were whispering silently to one another. Andrew’s cheeks reddened and Lorenzo thought he saw envy in him as they caught each other’s eyes again. His face darkened as Lorenzo tilted his head and took a shy step forward. 

“Us warlocks worry about our-- well, we worry about shadowhunters. More than we probably should,” Lorenzo mumbled. There was a confession in there that Lorenzo knew he had to start letting himself get used to as Andrew reached forward and let his hand trail down Lorenzo’s arm. Lorenzo’s hand rested on top of Andrew’s before a throat clear brought them back into reality. 

“Are you sure you can do this?” Lorenzo glared at Magnus whose eyes widened as he shook his head quickly. “I know you can do this, but… Can you do it with me?” There was an apology in Magnus’ eyes and Lorenzo accepted it as he held out his hand, knowing touch was the only way to amplify their power enough to drop the wards. 

“When I tell you to go, you don’t hesitate. It’s going to take more energy than we probably have to keep the wards down for longer than a few seconds,” Lorenzo explained. Both shadowhunters nodded at Lorenzo and then at each other before grabbing their seraph blades from their sheaths. Magnus placed his hand in Lorenzo’s and the magic that surged through them felt more powerful than Lorenzo had imagined. He knew what two warlocks could do together, but had never let himself get close enough to another to try. Their palms lit up with blue and gold and with another confirming nod, they blasted their magic at the wards. 

“Ready?” Lorenzo shouted to Andrew and Alec, both of them crouched and ready to sprint forward at Lorenzo’s command. He would take the time later to think about the trust both shadowhunters had in him and Magnus, but he felt the wards weaken.

“Now!” Both Magnus and Lorenzo yelled as they felt the barrier around the house fall. Alec and Andrew charged forward, neither of them bracing for contact as they surged past the wards and slowed a few feet from the front door. The warlock's hands detached as the wards shot back up to full protection. Magnus attempted to run through them but was thrown backward, a curse on his lips. 

“You boys okay?” Lorenzo asked as he knelt next to Magnus, a comforting hand on his shoulder. He could see the worry in Magnus’ eyes and hoped his own was masked. He didn’t like Andrew going in there with barely any backup almost as much as Magnus, but he knew it was their only hope. 

“We’re good, Magnus. Ten minutes. If we’re not out in ten, call the Institute,” Alec said in what Lorenzo had come to know as his Head of the Institute voice. Lorenzo nodded in response as Magnus shot back up. 

“Not a minute over, Alexander. You know how much I hate it when you’re late,” Magnus shouted as he walked back up to the wards with every step Alec took inside. When the door shut behind the shadowhunters, Magnus let himself deflate. His shoulders slumped, his knees seemed to shake, and his eyes lost their glamour. 

“Magnus--” As if Magnus forgot Lorenzo was by his side, he shot back up, his shoulders soldier straight with a new fire in his eyes. “They’re going to be okay,” Lorenzo said. He wasn’t the most comforting person in the world, he knew that, but he also knew love when he saw it. There was no doubt in his mind that what Magnus felt for Alec was matched by very few. He wouldn’t deny the love the two had for each other was something that most people sought after, that Lorenzo himself sought after. The kind of love that may have just stepped into a trap.

“Eight minutes,” Magnus said solemnly, pressing his fingers to the wards every few seconds as if testing if they had faltered. Lorenzo watched the building closely, waiting to see the familiar spark of magic or hear the sound of seraph blades.

“I don’t know that I’ll ever forgive you for Alvaro,” Lorenzo said, breaking the silence at minute five. Magnus’ head turned abruptly from where his view had cemented on the front door. He raised his eyebrows as if to remind him where they were, but Lorenzo shook his head and took a step closer. “I don’t know that I’ll ever forgive you, but I won’t push aside all of the progress we’ve made in the last few months.” Magnus’ face softened and a small smile formed on his lips, one that showed Lorenzo he understood. 

“Warlocks go through more than any mundane can even comprehend,” Magnus decided with a nod of his head. Lorenzo knew too well the hidden meaning behind his words. Warlocks endured a thousand lifetimes; some they wanted to hold on to with everything in them and others they pushed to the back of their minds to avoid the sadness it brought. No one understood that plight like Magnus and Lorenzo. They were two warlocks who worked together with those who were part of some of their harshest memories; two of which were inside a building, unreachable by the warlocks who cared so wholly about them. 

“Two minutes,” Lorenzo whispered, reaching to place a hand on Magnus’ shoulder and squeezing. He wasn’t sure if it was for his sake or Magnus’, his own anxiety spiking with every passing second. He wasn’t sure when he had started to care for Andrew as much as he apparently did, but if the speed of his heart had any indication, he was in deeper than he anticipated. 

“One minute,” Magnus said tersely. His voice wavered only slightly and Lorenzo could feel his magic stirring inside of him. Magnus had his hands out, ready to create a portal no doubt to Alec’s siblings when the wards dropped. Lorenzo’s heart leaped into his throat as the heavy wooden door creaked open, no shadowhunters in sight. Magnus surged forward, magic sparking from his fingertips and Lorenzo followed suit, his own magic at the ready. 

“Alexander!” Magnus yelled, terror in his voice that had Lorenzo’s magic lighting up his hands. 

“Magnus, no!” Alec screamed back from his place on the floor. Lorenzo looked over to see blood pouring from a wound on Alec’s forehead, his hands pulled behind his back with a string of electric magic. Lorenzo searched the space for Andrew, panic rising with each moment he couldn’t lay eyes on him. 

Suddenly, Magnus was thrown against the wall beside Alec, grunting in pain at the impact and seemingly unable to move. Lorenzo turned to follow the stream of red magic responsible, his chest tightening when he saw Andrew in Leland’s grasp. Lorenzo blocked one shot only for another to wrap around his throat, constricting his breathing as it lifted him off of the ground. Andrew was knelt beside Leland, his hands behind his back and a pleading look on his bruised face. 

“I’m nothing if not punctual. That was ten minutes, correct, shadowhunter?” Leland spat, kicking at Andrew’s knee. Lorenzo struggled around the magic, his hands scratching at his neck for any semblance of relief. He had to get to Andrew; he couldn’t let Leland destroy another part of him. “It’s been a while, Magnus, Lorenzo,” Leland said, the friendliness in his voice heating up Lorenzo’s blood with every word. 

“What do you want, Leland?” Magnus shouted, his voice weak and breathless. Leland laughed heartily and darkly before he glared at Magnus. 

“I want High Warlocks and nosy shadowhunters to stop getting involved in my personal business with the werewolves, that's what I  _ want _ !” The magic around Lorenzo’s neck tightened with every word, darkness clouding his vision as his attempts to escape lessened. He felt himself drifting, his lungs burning with every breath that left his lips. His eyes never left Andrew’s, their panicked gaze the only thing keeping him fighting. 

“You’re killing him!” Andrew yelled as he tried to surge forward and out of Leland’s magical grasp. Leland clicked his tongue as he tightened the hold on Andrew and let Lorenzo fall to the floor. Lorenzo gasped out a breath, clutching at his scorching chest as his knees hit the solid floor. Pain shot through him but nothing hurt more than seeing the vulnerability in Andrew’s eyes. 

“What is this, I see?” Leland asked darkly, his tone causing Lorenzo’s stomach to flip. “Did you not learn the first time, my friend? Alvaro wasn’t enough to show you that shadowhunters are useless animals that should mean nothing to an all powerful warlock?” Lorenzo couldn’t fight back as Leland’s magic gripped him again, dragging him forward until he was face to face with Andrew. Andrew looked up at him with pleading eyes, blood dripping from his nose and coating his lips. 

“Why are you doing this, Leland? What have I done to deserve this?” Lorenzo begged, ripping his eyes away from Andrew to glare up at the warlock. Leland just laughed, that dark laugh that sent shivers through Lorenzo’s entire body. 

“When will you learn that not everything is about you, Lorenzo? You and your warlock friends who run with shadowhunters instead of protecting your own kind!” Leland spat. He threaded his hands through Andrew’s hair and tugged his head back, a painful groan bursting through Andrew’s lips. “Give this one the chance and he’d kill you, cut your skin from off your body to hang it up for all the other nephilim to see. Just like your lover boy.” Lorenzo’s eyes narrowed at the continued mention of Alvaro, his heart clenching in his chest. 

“Alvaro wasn’t like them!” Lorenzo defended, hobbling onto his feet. Leland let him stand but only to wrap his magic around Lorenzo’s ankle and topple him forward again. Lorenzo braced himself on his hands, feeling his magic stir inside of him. 

“You’re all blinded by their angelic power, you stupid, stupid warlocks!” Leland yelled, the building rumbling under his feet. Leland’s eyes lit up and for the first time since they entered, Lorenzo noticed the pentagram beside Andrew. “All I need is one more sacrifice to raise the demon king of chaos from Edom and finally rid the world of these useless nephilim,” Leland said, tossing Andrew into the pentagram with a flick of his wrist. 

“Why are you doing this?” Lorenzo pleaded, begged to have the answer so that he could figure out some way to stop it. Andrew was unconscious in the pentagram, each appendage lining up with a point and the sight had Lorenzo’s stomach lurching. He could hear Alec and Magnus’ shouts, muffled through the sound of his own thoughts, as Leland leaned over Andrew’s limp body. 

“Alvaro stopped me the first time, Lorenzo. Your nephilim plaything was too smart for his own good but he only ended up dead. It seems you have a type,” Leland practically cooed as he crouched down, letting his magic cover Andrew’s body. Andrew’s eyes opened with a start and his screams echoed through the wide space louder than Lorenzo could bear. 

“Sacrifice me!” Lorenzo begged, feeling his power ignite through him as he threw himself into the pentagram on his knees to beg for Andrew’s life. Leland just laughed, his red eyes darkening in disgust as he stared down at Lorenzo. 

“You’d give your life for him? A centuries old warlock on his knees begging for-- for a shadowhunter?” Leland sounded astonished as if he couldn’t possibly believe that a warlock would do such a stupid thing. 

If you asked Lorenzo even a few months ago, he would have never thought he would be in that position either. But Andrew’s deep blue ocean eyes were pleading to him, pain echoing through them and Lorenzo realized that he had transformed everything. Andrew’s kind heart, his loyalty to those around him, his innate trust in a person he should inherently despise. Lorenzo couldn’t believe it had taken him so long to be changed. He wasn’t able to give up his life for Alvaro, wasn’t entirely sure he would have back then, but he had the choice now and he wasn’t going to let it go to waste. 

“In a second,” Lorenzo decided, holding up his hands. Leland seemed amused, tilting his head to the side, his eyes narrowing on Lorenzo as magic sparked from his fingers. Lorenzo closed his own, fully surrendering to Leland like he wished he could have all those years ago. Alvaro’s image flashed in front of his mind as he felt a warmth flow through him. He braced himself, his hands down at his side, unwilling to fight back if it meant any harm would come to the shadowhunter injured and cowering a short distance from him. 

There was a scream, excruciating and shrill in his ears, and the ground shook beneath him. His eyes flashed open, the little bit of magic he could conjure in his palms as he searched for Andrew. The seraph blade in Leland’s stomach caught him first and as he followed the stretch of blue magic protruding from Leland’s chest, his eyes landed on Magnus. His hand was tight in Alec’s, the shadowhunter’s eyes opening and closing, his head lolling back against the ground with each passing second. 

“A little help?” Magnus shouted, his own magic weakening in overuse. Lorenzo held up his palms, willing every speck of power inside of him at the warlock screeching in pain as Magnus drained as much of his magic from him as he could. Lorenzo let his mind wander to Alvaro, his bright smile and his gentle touch, then to Andrew. Even lying unconscious in the pentagram, his eyelids closed, Lorenzo could see his vivid blue eyes and remembered the first time Andrew smiled at him. 

“You will never win again,” Lorenzo yelled, the walls around them shaking and cracking as Leland fell to the ground. The pentagram’s edges dulled, the room eerily unmoving and silent. The only sounds to be heard were the gasping breaths of himself and Magnus. 

“Ren.” Lorenzo was shot out of his calm state by the weak sound of Andrew’s voice. He didn’t think before running to Andrew’s side, cradling his head in his lap and stroking a hand through his blood-soaked hair. He tried to will his magic to check Andrew for injury and cursed when his palms lit up and simmered, not enough magic left in them to heal. He shook his hands, trying again and again until Andrew gripped them tight in his, bringing them to his lips for a light kiss before resting them on his chest. 

“You’re hurt,” Lorenzo commented, finally bringing himself to look into Andrew’s eyes. They shined so brightly, even in injury, and Lorenzo felt his own well up with tears. “What were you thinking trying to get in between two warlocks, you stupid, idiotic shadowhunter?” There was no heat behind Lorenzo’s words and they were followed by a strained laugh as Andrew lifted his head off of Lorenzo’s lap to cup his face in his hands.

“I couldn’t let him hurt you,” Andrew said simply as if the answer was obvious. Lorenzo shook his head and wrapped his arms around Andrew’s waist, pulling him as close as he possibly could while still being wary of his injured body. Andrew held him back while the parade of shadowhunters came a few minutes too late, through the portal Catarina had made to get them back to the Institute until Andrew was magicked asleep by Catarina’s gentle touch. 

Lorenzo had a lot to figure out inside of himself, but nothing was more important than the man who was willing to risk everything to save him. He placed a soft kiss to Andrew’s forehead before resting his own head next to their laced fingers and falling fast asleep. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, only one more freaking chapter. I can't believe this. Like, at all. The last chapter is just as climactic but in a very different way ;) 
> 
> Please let me know what you think and scream at me on [Tumblr](https://archeryandeyeliner.tumblr.com/) or [Twitter](https://twitter.com/thatnerdemilyj).
> 
> Please feel free to leave kudos if you like it and comment anything you please. I promise I will smile and reply.
> 
> If your looking to be more involved in the fandom and don't know where to start, come join a super fun [Discord](https://discord.gg/8Q8yBVg)! 
> 
> See you soon!


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Without further ado, the final chapter. 
> 
> I'm not crying, _you're_ crying.

“They’ve been out for hours, Magnus, and that can’t be comfortable for Lorenzo. Maybe you should try to get him to go eat something? His magic was just as depleted as yours and--” Lorenzo heard Alec’s voice trail off as Magnus murmured. 

“Never in a million years did I think my Alexander would be so concerned for Lorenzo Rey’s health and magical status.” Alec scoffed and Lorenzo felt a gentle hand on his shoulder as he blinked his eyes open slowly. He glanced over the hand to see Magnus smiling softly down at him. Before either could talk, Lorenzo’s eyes darted back toward Andrew who was sleeping soundly on the infirmary bed. Lorenzo sighed in relief as he straightened his shoulders, ignoring the stiffness and twinge of pain in his neck from his awkward sleeping position. 

“How is he?” Lorenzo asked, noticing the light grip Andrew had on his hand. He brought the hand up to his lips before he could think and let his lips brush each knuckle, reveling in the warmth of Andrew’s skin on his. Magnus’ hand squeezed his shoulder to grab Lorenzo’s attention. 

“He’s okay. Cat patched him up and said he should be on his feet by tomorrow morning.” Lorenzo nodded and placed Andrew’s hand back on the bed, reluctantly disentangling their fingers. 

“I guess I have some High Warlock duties to take care of with your husband?” Lorenzo guessed as he stood up, holding himself up a little straighter as he turned toward Alec. Alec shook his head, his hands behind his back in that shadowhunter way Lorenzo had grown to know and love. 

“It can be handled later. Magnus is going to show you to the cafeteria so you can get some food in you. You really overworked yourself out there,” Alec commented, his eyebrows furrowing in what Lorenzo thought was worry. There was no way that Alec was worried for him, though, as that was not the kind of relationship they had. 

“My husband here likes to pretend he has any say over the warlocks under his jurisdiction,” Magnus teased, tossing a wink in Alec’s direction. Alec rolled his eyes but laughed, motioning toward the door. “We’re going, don’t worry.” Magnus started walking, peering over his shoulder when Lorenzo didn’t follow. Lorenzo took another glance at Andrew, unwilling to leave his side when he was in such a state. 

“I’m going to stay with him, okay? I won’t leave his side until you’re back,” Alec promised, taking a seat where Lorenzo had been the last few hours. Lorenzo nodded, a bit at ease by Alec’s presence, and wandered after Magnus. They made their way to the cafeteria and Lorenzo was thankful it was empty. He looked around for what the options were for food when Magnus waved a hand over one of the tables to conjure a sandwich and chips. Lorenzo didn’t realize how hungry he was until he had his first bite. 

“Us warlocks are all the same with our stubborn tendencies and unwillingness to admit fault,” Magnus said. Lorenzo eyed him as he continued eating, unsure what he was referring to. It could be the fact that Lorenzo didn’t want to leave Andrew, as he was sure Magnus understood that. Magnus sighed heavily and placed his hands in his lap. “I made a mistake with Leland. He was my responsibility and I was not the High Warlock I should have been when Alvaro was killed.” Leland choked on a bite and water appeared in his hands before he could do it himself. When he had calmed down, he caught Magnus’ eyes and saw nothing but sorrow. 

“He was. He would be alive today if it wasn’t for you,” Lorenzo said. Magnus’ face dropped as he looked away from Lorenzo at the tiled floor. “But Andrew and I would be dead right now if it wasn’t for you, too.” Magnus’ eyes darted to Lorenzo’s, the shock evident in them. Lorenzo finished his sandwich and patted the napkin against his lips delicately. “There’s a chance that Leland would have killed Alvaro whether or not you knew what he was planning. He was more powerful than we thought, you and I both saw that.” 

Magnus nodded and fiddled with the rings on his fingers, his wedding ring standing out amongst the more dramatic accessories. “He was younger than both of us, I don’t know how he--” Lorenzo shook his head, using his magic to disappear the remnants of his meal as he sat back in his chair. 

“We’ll never know now,” Lorenzo said, flattening Magnus’ response with a raise of his eyebrow. “We won’t have to because you defeated him. He won’t hurt another person, another shadowhunter, again. As much as it pains me to say it, Magnus, I need to thank you.” Magnus stayed silent that time and Lorenzo could have thanked him for that, too. “Leland had every intention of killing me and-- As much as I was willing to die for Andrew, there was no part of me that wanted to.” Magnus nodded with him, reaching a hand out across the table to rest on top of Lorenzo’s. He almost flinched away at the gesture but decided it was one that he needed and stayed still. 

“There was no way I was going to let him end another life. Especially yours,” Magnus admitted. Lorenzo gaped at him, his heartwarming in an unfamiliar way as Magnus subtly rolled his eyes. “You’re just as much a part of our little group as Andrew is, Lorenzo. And we protect each other above all else.” Lorenzo thought back to Magnus and Alec’s wedding; the joy, the love, the family. He had been so envious that a warlock had made himself at home with a group of misfit shadowhunters, vampires, werewolves, and seelies. He guessed he didn’t realize that he had become part of it. 

“I know it goes without saying, but you’re forgiven, Bane. I loathed you for so long for what happened to Alvaro when it wasn’t truly your fault. I hope this can be a new… start for us. As colleagues,” Lorenzo clarified quickly, clearing his throat at the intimacy of the omission. 

“Would it kill you to admit that we’re friends?” Magnus asked as he patted Lorenzo’s hand and stood. Lorenzo just laughed and shook his head, holding out a hand for Magnus. 

“It might.”

* * *

When Andrew awoke, the world seemed a little bit more blurry than he remembered it. The lights above him dulled and brightened with every blink of his eyes. He turned his head toward the front door and obstructing his view was a figure. His heart dropped only slightly when he saw Alec. 

“He’s finally sleeping,” Alec said softly, gesturing toward where Andrew knew the dorms were. Andrew nodded in understanding and sat up slowly, wincing a little at the ache in his, well, everywhere. His mind flashed to Leland’s magic restricting Lorenzo in every way possible, the unbearable pain Leland had put him through, Lorenzo offering himself up to save Andrew’s life. All of a sudden, he felt like he couldn’t breathe, like every single ounce of oxygen had been extracted from his body.

“He-- Me-- Alec, what is happening?” Andrew asked, desperately gripping onto Alec’s shoulder as he huffed out breath after breath. 

“Underhill, you gotta calm down, okay? You’re okay and Lorenzo is  _ okay _ ,” Alec confirmed, squeezing Andrew’s shoulder right back. Andrew appreciated the touch as it grounded him and felt his heartbeat slowing with every breath he mimicked from Alec’s chest. 

“He was gonna die for me,” Andrew whispered once he had himself a little more under control. Alec nodded and patted Andrew’s shoulder before reaching for a cup of water and handing it over to him slowly. 

“He was,” Alec confirmed. Andrew looked at him, thoroughly panicked at the matter-of-fact way Alec had said the words. 

“Alec, I don’t-- Why would he do that?” Andrew asked with a shake of his head as he downed the entire cup of water. He glared at Alec as a short laugh escaped his lips and Alec raised his hands in defense. 

“I thought you already knew,” Alec responded, raising his eyebrows and shrugging his shoulders. Andrew didn’t know what Alec was being so nonchalant about, not when Andrew felt like the world was suddenly pulled out from under him. 

“Already knew what?” Andrew asked, although he was pretty sure he knew exactly what Alec was saying. Alec sighed heavily and rested a friendly hand on Andrew’s knee as he stood up. 

“Do you remember what you told me when Magnus and I were fighting?” Alec asked, glancing over his shoulder in time to see Lorenzo entering the infirmary. He and Magnus were smiling, laughing together, and Andrew was momentarily breathless again at the beauty of the sight. Lorenzo froze the second their eyes met and Andrew felt like a thousand bolts restarted his heart. Alec put a hand on his shoulder and smiled softly down at him as he spoke again. “Whatever you’re feeling, it’s okay,” he assured, his voice barely above a whisper. Andrew nodded as Alec walked toward the warlocks before wrapping his arm around his husband’s waist and leading them out of the room. 

Lorenzo walked to him slowly as if he was unsure how welcomed his presence would be and Andrew couldn’t understand why he wouldn’t be expecting Andrew to kneel at his feet and thank him for saving his life. He was about to do just that when he felt Lorenzo’s magic flow over him, just a whisper of chill as he checked him over. 

“You really are okay,” Lorenzo said softly. He seemed surprised and very much relieved at that fact and Andrew smiled up at him, the biggest smile he could muster without the gash in his cheek breaking back open. 

“All thanks to you,” Andrew responded, holding out his hand for Lorenzo’s. He wasn’t sure when it had started to feel more strange without Lorenzo’s fingers entwined with his but he didn’t care. All he wanted was to feel Lorenzo’s skin on his own again. Lorenzo complied and sat on the edge of Andrew’s bed, his thumb brushing across Andrew’s knuckles so gently it had Andrew’s heart pounding even harder in his chest. 

“You almost got yourself killed out there,” Lorenzo chastised, doing everything in his power to not look Andrew in the eyes.

“I could say the same for you,” Andrew whispered, pushing himself up so he could get just a little closer to Lorenzo. Lorenzo’s eyes darted to him, his hands reaching for his shoulders to push him back down onto the bed. Andrew shook his head and gripped them tighter in his own. “I wouldn’t have wanted you to sacrifice yourself for me, Ren. I wouldn’t have-- I don’t understand why you did it,” Andrew said honestly. The laughter that burst from Lorenzo’s lips was like music to his ears and only offended him slightly. 

“I couldn’t let him take another person I lov--” His mouth snapped shut, his eyes glancing away again and Andrew missed their gaze immediately. “He wasn’t going to take anyone away from me again. I couldn’t-- I wouldn’t let him,” Lorenzo decided, his voice firm as his hands seemed to tremble in Andrew’s grip. 

“You think I could have recovered?” Andrew asked. At Lorenzo’s quizzical look, Andrew shook his head and held Lorenzo’s face lightly in his hands, stroking his thumbs underneath his tired eyes. “Nephilim love once,” he said, licking his suddenly dry lips before continuing, “fiercely. I-- I wouldn’t have recovered if he took you away from me, either.” Lorenzo seemed shocked by the admission, but he couldn’t have been more surprised than Andrew. He was terrifyingly and irrevocably in love with a hundreds of years old warlock and he wasn’t about to keep it in any longer. 

“You--” Lorenzo started, but Andrew couldn’t hold himself back anymore. He surged forward and pressed his lips to Lorenzo’s, wrapping his arms around his shoulders to hold him tightly to his chest. He pushed everything he was feeling into the kiss, one that he had wanted and craved since the moment Lorenzo smiled in his direction. He made sure with every swipe of his tongue, every nibble of his teeth, that Lorenzo felt the love Andrew had for him. When he pulled away, Lorenzo kept his eyes closed for a few moments, biting down on his bottom lip as if he was savoring the feeling of Andrew’s lips on his, and Andrew knew exactly how that felt. 

“Warlocks don’t love once,” Lorenzo started and as much as Andrew tried to keep his face from falling, he didn’t think he did a good job by the panicked look that flashed over Lorenzo’s features. “We don’t love once, but Andrew, I love you. I love you with the same ferocity that I’ve loved anyone else. I-- You came out of nowhere and launched yourself into my life and I don’t regret a single second that I’ve spent falling in love with you.” Andrew felt his face warm with every word as he rested his forehead on Lorenzo’s, breathing in his scent and reveling in the feeling of being held by his gentle hands. 

“I love you so much,” Andrew choked out with a laugh, shaking his head before diving in for another kiss. 

* * *

Magnus and Alec found them like that sometime later, stealing kisses and letting their fingers brush over each other’s skin softly, as if they were memorizing every new touch. Alec turned toward Magnus, his face flushed as he started to back out of the infirmary. 

“Don’t tell me you’re embarrassed, Alexander? We have done much worse under the roof of this Institute,” Magnus teased, lacing his fingers in his husband’s and leaning his head on his shoulder. Alec wrapped an arm around his waist as they looked on, Magnus’ heart fluttering in his chest as he remembered his own journey with his husband, not dissimilar to that of his new friends. 

“I’m happy for them,” Alec whispered, pressing his lips to Magnus’ head. Magnus looked up at him bemused, smirking at his words. Alec scoffed, only a little offended as he pulled Magnus closer to him. “I’m just happy to have another person to complain about warlocks with, honestly,” Alec joked, squeezing the ticklish spot on Magnus’ waist which elicited a laugh from his husband. Magnus turned to him and slapped his chest playfully as he shot one last glance at Lorenzo and Andrew. 

“I’m happy for them, too,” Magnus replied. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't believe it's over 😭Thank you all for coming with me on the wonderful journey into love with my beautiful boys who stole my heart with less than 30 seconds of screen time together. I am so grateful that you all chose to read this and celebrate a new shadowhunter/warlock power couple. 
> 
> Special thank you to **Cor** for reading this through and changing it for the better. Don't know what I would do without your wonderful beta skills, my beautiful parabatai <3
> 
> I REALIZED I NEVER PUT THIS BEFORE. The title of this fic comes from [Poison by Freya Ridings](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjTEJiZ1BCw).
> 
> Please feel free to scream at me on [Tumblr](https://archeryandeyeliner.tumblr.com/) or [Twitter](https://twitter.com/thatnerdemilyj).
> 
> Please leave kudos if you like it and comment anything you please. I promise I will smile and reply.
> 
> If your looking to be more involved in the fandom and don't know where to start, come join a super fun [Discord](https://discord.gg/8Q8yBVg)!


End file.
